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Projection of tooth pulp afferents to the thalamus of the cat

II. Distribution and characteristics of single units

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Summary

Single unit activity was recorded extra- and intracellularly in the thalamus of the cat following electrical stimulation of tooth pulp afferents. Cells activated by noxious stimuli were found in (1) the basal ventromedial nucleus (VMB), (2) the marginal zones of the arcuate and external nuclei of the ventrobasal complex (VBA and VBX) and (3) the intralaminar complex. Cells found in any of these locations showed a variety of properties; they were activated at different latencies and had different patterns of input. However, cells with responses of short latency and low convergence were with few exceptions found in or close to VMB. Stimulation of tooth pulp evoked both EPSP's and IPSP's in these cells. A subpopulation of cells were found that responded to stimulation of either right or left tooth pulp afferents. 22 units, mainly located in VMB, were found that responded exclusively to stimulation of tooth pulp afferents. In the laterodorsal part of VMB cells influenced by tooth pulp stimulation were found to be antidromically activated by stimulation of the cortical tooth pulp projection area. No such cells were seen at other locations. The results of this study is in agreement with the conclusions in the companion paper (Rydenhag et al. 1986a) that VMB and the border zone between VMB and VBA are the most likely relay nuclei between tooth pulp nociceptive afferents and the cortex. The intralaminar complex is suggested to be important in the cortical arousal reactions and direction of attention following a painful stimulus.

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Abbreviations

AV:

anteroventral nucleus

CL:

central lateral nucleus

LD:

lateral dorsal nucleus

MD:

medial dorsal nucleus

PP:

pes pedunculi

VBA:

arcuate nucleus of the ventrobasal complex

VL:

ventrolateral complex

CM:

centre médian nucleus

GL:

lateral geniculate nucleus

LP:

lateral posterior complex

OT:

optic tract

VA:

ventroanterior nucleus

VBX:

external nucleus of the ventrobasal complex

VMB:

basal ventromedial nucleus

AP:

anterioposterior plane (in mm anterior to the interauricular plane)

C. Max.:

contralateral maxillary canine tooth

I.Max.:

ipsilateral maxillary canine tooth

C.Mand.:

contralateral mandibular canine tooth

I.Mand.:

ipsilateral mandibular canine tooth

C.Lip:

contralateral upper lip

I.Lip:

ipsilateral upper lip

C.Paw:

contralateral forepaw

I. Paw:

ipsilateral forepaw

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, University of Göteborg, P.O. Box 33031, S-400 33, Göteborg, Sweden

    B. Rydenhag & A. Roos

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  1. B. Rydenhag
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  2. A. Roos
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Rydenhag, B., Roos, A. Projection of tooth pulp afferents to the thalamus of the cat. Exp Brain Res 64, 49–58 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00238200

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