Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias are highly disabling primary headache disorders, characterized by severe unilateral head pain and associated ipsilateral cranial autonomic features. There is limited understanding of their pathophysiology and how and where treatments act to reduce symptoms; this is significantly hindered by a lack of animal models. We have developed the first animal model to ex...

A necessary requirement for multisensory integration is the convergence of pathways from different senses. The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) receives auditory input directly via the VIIIth nerve and somatosensory input indirectly from the Vth nerve via granule cells. Multisensory integration may occur in DCN cells that receive both trigeminal and auditory nerve input, such as the fusiform cell....

Neonatal damage to the trigeminal nerve leads to "reactive synaptogenesis" in the brain stem sensory trigeminal nuclei. In vitro models of brain injury-induced synaptogenesis have implicated an important role for astrocytes. In this study we tested the role of astrocyte function in reactive synaptogenesis in the trigeminal principal nucleus (PrV) of neonatal rats following unilateral transectio...

neurons in the paramedian pontine reticular formation responsible for ipsilateral horizontal saccade and (2) gaze centers playing a role in ipsilateral horizontal smooth pursuit. Both gaze centers project to the ipsilateral abducens nucleus which controls both abducens motor neurons (responsible for ipsilateral eye abduction) and internuclear neurons projecting via the medial lateral fasciculus...

Sensory information that arises in orofacial organs facilitates exploratory, ingestive, and defensive behaviors that are essential to overall fitness and survival. Because the hypothalamus plays an important role in the execution of these behaviors, sensory signals conveyed by the trigeminal nerve must be available to this brain structure. Recent anatomical studies have shown that a large numbe...

Pre-treatment with new kynurenic acid amide dose-dependently prevents the nitroglycerine-induced neuronal activation and sensitization in cervical part of trigemino-cervical complex. Kynurenate derivative attenuates the nitroglycerin-induced CamKIIalpha and CGRP expression changes. Modulatory effects of probenecid on the nitroglycerin-induced changes in the rat caudal trigeminal nucleus. Migrai...