ArticleBrain sciences2025
Feeding, Emotion, and the Brain Stem: The Interesting Case of the Mesencephalic Trigeminal Nucleus.
Article in Brain sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundOur growing understanding of the brain basis of mind has seen an interest in evolutionarily ancient structures, most notably the brainstem. This paper offers an interesting example of this underexplored territory, by considering the mesencephalic component of the trigeminal nucleus. This largely uncelebrated brainstem structure is central to control of the jaw, and for the foundational acts of eating, oral exploration, and biting.
objectivesThis paper explores the interesting anatomy of the mesencephalic trigeminal: unique in the nervous system as a centrally located sensory ganglion, which combines sensory and motor function for the jaw. An unexplored aspect of its anatomy is that the mesencephalic component of the nucleus lies directly adjacent to the brain's core system for the experience of emotion, the peri-acqueductal gray (PAG).
resultsThe data suggest a role for the jaw, and more broadly the oral cavity, in relation to a range of feeling states, from pleasure to aggression. This is supported by behavioural and classic neuropsychological findings, such as the Klüver-Bucy syndrome. However, the proposal is not well-supported by findings of direct connections between the trigeminal nucleus and the PAG.
conclusionsWhile these contrasting findings present a conundrum, there may be a role for non-synaptic signalling, of the sort increasingly understood to be important for interoception and homeostasis.
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