Observations on facial nociception in a monkey after destruction of the rostral part of the trigeminal sensory nuclear complex

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Abstract
Facial sensibility was assessed in a cynomolgus monkey in whom the trigeminal main sensory nuceus and the rostral part of the trigeminal nucleus oralis on one side were destroyed. The animal responded equally to noxious mechanical stimuli applied to the 2 sides of the face; no deficiency in nociception could be detected. The synaptic connectoins made by nociceptor afferents from the face in rostral parts of the trigeminal sensoy nuclear complex are not essential for facial nociception. From a fucntional point of view, facial nococeptive afferents have their principal synaptic connections in the nucleus caudalis of the trigeminal spinal complex.