Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of artificially induced loss of occlusal support, tooth grinding and tooth extraction, in determining the behavioral and pharmacological effects of each on the central nervous system in rats.
Method: 5-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into three groups for this study. In Group A, maxillary molar teeth were extracted. In Group B, maxillary molar teeth were ground down. Teeth were left intact in the Control group. A series of spatial memory tasks were performed in an 8-arm radial maze at 1, 3, and 7 weeks for all three groups. Following completion of this task period, levels of neurotransmitters in each group were measured in the cortex, striatum and hippocampus regions.
Results: The results showed that both experimental groups A and B exhibited significant behavioral dysfunction, compared to the Control group; yet behavioral dysfunction was most remarkable in Group A. Pharmacological investigation in Group B revealed that dopamine levels in the hippocampus had dropped. However, in Group A, dopamine levels had dropped in both the hippocampus and the striatum. A correlation between behavior and pharmacological levels is suggested, as spatial memory task results lowered as levels of acetylcholine and dopamine in the striatum dropped.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the effects of experimental tooth extraction on the central nervous system differ from those of tooth grinding.
