How neuroscience is taught to North American dental students: results of the Basic Science Survey Series.

The purpose of this study was to determine how North American dental students are taught neuroscience during their preclinical dental education. This survey represents one part of a larger research project, the Basic Science Survey Series for Dentistry, which covers all of the biomedical science coursework required of preclinical students in North American dental schools. Members of the Section on Anatomical Sciences of the American Dental Education Association assembled, distributed, and analyzed the neuroscience survey, which had a 98.

Estrogen and inflammation modulate estrogen receptor alpha expression in specific tissues of the temporomandibular joint.

Background: Estrogen is known to play role in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders and estrogen effects can be mediated by estrogen receptor (ER) alpha present in the TMJ. Cells expressing the estrogen receptor ERalpha are present in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) but changes in expression due to estrogen and inflammation have not been characterized. In this study, ERalpha protein content and the number of cells expressing ERalpha was measured in 17 beta-estradiol-treated rats after inflammation was induced in the TMJ.

When will we be ready for academic integrity?

The academic dental community has been taken aback by recent events involving student cheating. Several of these events have served as the catalyst for a number of recent journal articles on the subject, providing an invaluable overview of the problems. There have also been several articles over the last few years that have considered student behavior and how institutions can address professionalism.

Capsaicin sensitive neurons role in the inflamed TMJ acute nociceptive response of female and male rats.

Computerized meal pattern analysis, and more specifically meal duration, has recently been used as a non-invasive biological marker of nociception in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Cells responsible for the nociceptive response in the inflamed TMJ may include capsaicin (CAP) sensitive neurons. To test the role of CAP sensitive neurons in acute nociceptive responses first, male and female rats were treated neonatally with vehicle or CAP, an agent known to destroy a majority of C fibers.

Effect of an auditory cue on chewing cycle kinematics.

Objectives: This study analysed the systematic and random effects of a rhythmic auditory cue on chewing cycle kinematics.

Methods: The chin movements of 25 subjects (19-35 years of age) with normal class I occlusion were recorded at 100Hz (Optotrak) Northern Digital) during two natural gum chewing (2.5 g) sequences to determine the chewing rate of each subject.

Temporal changes in inflammatory mediator concentrations in an adjuvant model of temporomandibular joint inflammation.

Aims: To determine temporal changes in the concentrations found in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and trigeminal ganglion of 3 specific classes of inflammatory mediators commonly linked with conditions of joint inflammation. The intent was to determine whether concentrations of the neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), the neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF), and the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta (IL1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are altered in the trigeminal ganglion and TMJ tissues during various stages of adjuvant-induced inflammation of the rat TMJ.

Methods: Adult male rats received bilateral TMJ injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), while control rats did not receive CFA treatment.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha and apoptosis in the rat temporomandibular joint.

The purpose of this investigation was to investigate the roles that tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and apoptosis play during acute inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) into the TMJ or kept as uninjected controls. The TMJ tissues were removed 2 days post-injection to mimic conditions of acute inflammation and analysed for changes in expression of TNF-alpha, the receptor TNF-R1, caspase-3 and -8, and apoptosis.

Attenuation of pro-inflammatory neuropeptide levels produced by a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor in an animal model of chronic temporomandibular joint inflammation.

Aims: To study the neurogenic effects of a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, rofecoxib, in an animal model of persistent inflammation.

Methods: Arthritis was induced within the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) by placing complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) within the superior joint space of the TMJ in adult male rats. The CFA animals were divided into 2 groups, with 1 group given the COX-2 inhibitor, rofecoxib, on days 21 through 28.