Trigeminal chemoreception in the nasal and oral cavities

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Abstract
Nasal and oral trigeminal chemoreception are discussed with a focus on their functions, responses, and interactions with olfaction and gustation. Trigeminal stimulation elicits a number of physiological reflexes which are shown to have several possible effects on the olfactory and gustatory systems. Based on psychophysical and electrophysiological data, it is argued that trigeminal chemoreceptors may be stimulated by a wider range of compounds and concentrations than is generally believed. The molecular structures which tend to characterize effective trigeminal stimuli are also discussed. It is suggested that the evidence for the discriminatory ability of trigeminal chemoreceptors is inconclusive and that this remains a fundamental unanswered question. Finally, the interesting phenomenon of human preference for some initially aversive trigeminal stimuli is reviewed.

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