Brain research bulletin
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Brain research bulletin · Jul 2019
Serotonin1B receptor-mediated presynaptic inhibition of proprioceptive sensory inputs to jaw-closing motoneurons.
The proprioceptive sensory inputs from neurons in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MesV) to masseter motoneurons (MMNs) play an important role in regulating masseter muscle activity during mastication. Several histological studies have shown that serotonin (5-HT) fibers densely innervate both the MesV and the trigeminal motor nucleus. However, the functional roles of 5-HT in the regulation of the excitatory synaptic inputs from MesV afferents to MMNs remain to be clarified. ⋯ CP-93129 increased the paired-pulse ratio and decreased the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs), while it did not alter the mEPSC amplitude. These results suggest that presynaptic 5-HT1B receptors are involved in the inhibition of the excitatory synaptic inputs from MesV afferents to MMNs. Such inhibition may regulate MesV afferent activity during mastication.