Mechanoreceptive afferent activity in the infraorbital nerve in man during speech and chewing movements

• Published in: Experimental brain research 1988-01, Vol.72 (1), p.209-214
• Main Authors: JOHANSSON, R. S, TRULSSON, M, OLSSON, K. A, ABBS, J. H
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Action Potentials; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Face - innervation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Mastication; Maxillary Nerve - physiology; Mechanoreceptors - physiology; Middle Aged; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; Space life sciences; Speech - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00248519

The method of microneurography was used to record activity in trigeminal cutaneous and mucosal mechanoreceptive afferents during natural orofacial behaviors such as speech gestures, chewing, licking and swallowing. Multi-unit activity and impulses in single nerve fibers were recorded from the infraorbital nerve. It appeared that these mechanoreceptors respond to contact between the lips, air pressures generated for speech sounds, and to the deformation/strain changes of the facial skin and mucosa associated with various phases of voluntary lip and jaw movements. The relatively vigorous discharge of cutaneous and mucosal afferents during natural movements of the face are consistent with the claim that mechanoreceptors found within the facial skin provide proprioceptive information on facial movements.