AUTHOR=Zhang Hao , Hu Shengjing , Wang Zhangang , Li Xiang , Wang Suogang , Chen Gang 

TITLE=A Temporospatial Study of Sympathetic Skin Response and Electroencephalogram in Oral Mucosa Thermal Perception

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2022.907658

DOI=10.3389/fnins.2022.907658

ISSN=1662-453X

ABSTRACT=Objective To investigate the temporospatial changes of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and electroencephalograph (EEG) under thermal stimuli and to draw a topographic map of SSR threshold temperature of the oral mucosa. Methods 40 healthy volunteers (24 male, 16 female, mean age of 23 ± 3) were enrolled. Thermal stimuli were applied to the 35 partitions of oral mucosa starting from 36 °C at the gradience of 1 °C and the lowest temperature evoked SSR defined as SSR threshold temperature. SSR and EEG signals at 45 °C, 48 °C, 51 °C, and 54 °C were then recorded synchronously. Results The SSR threshold temperature increased from the anterior areas to posterior areas. No significant difference between bilateral corresponding areas or between genders was observed. The SSR amplitude value increased from 45 °C to 54 °C in the same area while the highest value was recorded on the tip of tongue and decreased backwardly from anterior area. There were significant differences of latency of SSR between the tip of tongue and molar areas of oral cavity (P < 0.05). Reduction of alpha frequency band was observed after thermal stimulation, and there were statistical differences between baseline and thermal stimuli in all four degrees of temperatures (P < 0.05). Conclusion The result of the experiment revealed that the autonomic and central nervous system (CNS) played important roles in thermal perception of oral mucosa and could be helpful for better understanding of pathological mechanism of burning mouth syndrome (BMS).