Dental deafferentation and brain damage: A  review and a hypothesis

Publication date: April 2018 Source:The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences, Volume 34, Issue 4 Author(s): Yi-Tai Jou In the last few decades, neurobiological and human brain imaging research have greatly advanced our understanding of brain mechanisms that support perception and memory, as well as their function in daily activities. Knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms behind the deafferentation of stomatognathic systems has also expanded greatly in recent decades. In particular, current studies reveal that the peripheral deafferentations of stomatognathic systems may be projected globally into the central nervous system (CNS) and become an associated critical factor in triggering and aggravating neurodegenerative diseases. This review explores basic neurobiological mechanisms associated with the deafferentation of stomatognathic systems. Further included is a discussion on tooth loss and other dental deafferentation (DD) mechanisms, with a focus on dental and masticatory apparatuses associated with brain functions and which may underlie the changes observed in the aging brain. A new hypothesis is presented where DD and changes in the functionality of teeth and the masticatory apparatus may cause brain damage as a result of altered cerebral circulation and dysfunctional homeostasis. Furthermore, multiple recurrent reorganizations of the brain may be a triggering or contributing risk factor in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzhei...

Source: The Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences - April 14, 2018 Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research