Experimental Study on Involvement of the Central Nervous System in Inferior Alveolar Nerve Damage-Associated Hyperalgesia of the Mental Region

Abstract

Purpose: Involvement of the central nervous system in sensory disturbances of the mental region occurring after inferior alveolar nerve damage was investigated using a rat model of inferior alveolar nerve damage.

Patients and methods: The rat inferior alveolar nerve was damaged by ligation with thread, and the course of behavioral changes after surgery was observed for 42 days. In addition, activation of microglia and astroglia in the trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. c-Fos-positive cells were quantitatively evaluated to analyze the state of neuron excitement.

Results: The withdrawal threshold was significantly decreased 5 days after surgery in the inferior alveolar nerve-ligated (IANL) group compared with that in the sham group and subsequently recovered over time. In addition, microglia and astroglia were activated in the Vc region 5 days after surgery in the model group, and c-fos-positive cells were also significantly more frequent in the IANL group. However, no significant difference in the withdrawal threshold was seen between the IANL and sham groups on day 42, nor were any significant differences seen in the amounts of microglia, astroglia, or c-fos-positive cells.

Conclusions: Interactions among microglia, astroglia, and neurons in the central nervous system might be involved in the progression of inferior alveolar nerve damage-associated mental hyperalgesia to a chronic state.