Temporomandibular-Joint's Sensory Mechanisms Controlling Activities of the Jaw Muscles

Abstract

The activities of the sensory and motor nuclei of the cat Vth nerve were recorded by means of micro-electrodes which were stereotaxically inserted into the brain. Certain places in the bulbar and spinal trigeminal sensory nuclei responded to the rotatory movement of the condyle. These were found to be rapidly adapting responses. Corresponding to the activity of these points in the trigeminal sensory nuclei, activities of certain spots in the homolateral motor nucleus of the Vth nerve were reciprocally inhibited or activated. In addition, the histological study revealed that there are many modified Golgi-Mazzonni end organs in the fibrous joint capsule of the cat which are distributed more densely at the frontal and posterior parts than at other parts of the joint.