About this Research Topic
The tongue receives extensive innervation from gustatory, somatosensory, and motor nerve fibers from five cranial nerves namely trigeminal (V), chorda tympani (a branch of the facial nerve, VII), glossopharyngeal (IX), vagus (X) and hypoglossal (XII). Studies over the past decades have identified several growth factors and other signaling molecules that regulate taste organ homeostasis including those supplied by nerves. For example, we know from more than century-old studies that the taste nerve is essential for taste bud survival and regeneration; when taste nerves are cut, taste buds degenerate, and as the taste nerves grow back, taste buds regenerate. We are only beginning to uncover the molecular basis of this very interesting phenomenon.
We only have limited knowledge of the molecules and pathways that help nerve fibers sense and transduce taste signals. Further, the somatosensory pathways that transduce touch, temperature, and movement sensations from the lingual and oral epithelium to the central nervous system, and their interplay with taste transduction are not well studied. Finally, these nerves also innervate the lingual stroma and muscle fibers in the tongue, but their roles in transporting sensory information from the tongue remain poorly studied. These gaps in knowledge must be addressed to develop a comprehensive understanding of how lingual sensory information is generated, regulated, and transduced to the brain.
In this Research Topic, we would like to shed light on how neural pathways regulate tongue chemo-, somato- and motor functions, as well as the circumstances where nerve alterations cause sensory disturbances. This Research Topic will include both full-length and short research communications, opinions, and review articles that are relevant to furthering the understanding of mechanisms of neural functions in the tongue. Topics may include but are not limited to the following:
- Mechanism behind lingual chemo-, somato- and motor sensations
- Neurodegenerative diseases and taste loss
- Neurodegenerative diseases and alterations in oral sensations
- Neuroinflammation and lingual sensations
- Nerve architecture supporting lingual sensations
- Ganglion architecture supporting lingual sensations
We only have limited knowledge of the molecules and pathways that help nerve fibers sense and transduce taste signals. Further, the somatosensory pathways that transduce touch, temperature, and movement sensations from the lingual and oral epithelium to the central nervous system, and their interplay with taste transduction are not well studied. Finally, these nerves also innervate the lingual stroma and muscle fibers in the tongue, but their roles in transporting sensory information from the tongue remain poorly studied. These gaps in knowledge must be addressed to develop a comprehensive understanding of how lingual sensory information is generated, regulated, and transduced to the brain.
In this Research Topic, we would like to shed light on how neural pathways regulate tongue chemo-, somato- and motor functions, as well as the circumstances where nerve alterations cause sensory disturbances. This Research Topic will include both full-length and short research communications, opinions, and review articles that are relevant to furthering the understanding of mechanisms of neural functions in the tongue. Topics may include but are not limited to the following:
- Mechanism behind lingual chemo-, somato- and motor sensations
- Neurodegenerative diseases and taste loss
- Neurodegenerative diseases and alterations in oral sensations
- Neuroinflammation and lingual sensations
- Nerve architecture supporting lingual sensations
- Ganglion architecture supporting lingual sensations
Keywords: tongue, innervation, ganglion, taste, touch, mechanosensation
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