Viggiano Andrea, Ponticorvo Sara, Canna Antonietta, Secondulfo Carmine, Sbordone Ludovico, Russo Antonio, Monda Marcellino, Di Salle Francesco, Esposito Fabrizio
Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry "Scuola Medica Salernitana", University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy.
University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi D'Aragona", Salerno, Italy.
Front Syst Neurosci. 2021 Feb 26;15:641121. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2021.641121. eCollection 2021.
Prolonged mastication may induce an asymmetric modification of the local perfusion of the trigeminal principal nucleus. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible influence of vitamin C (vit. C) on such effect. Four groups of healthy volunteers underwent arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-MRI) to evaluate the local perfusion of the trigeminal nuclei after a vit. C-enriched lunch or a control lunch. Two ASL-MRI scans were acquired, respectively, before and after a 1 h-long masticating exercise or a 1 h long resting period. The results showed (i) an increased global perfusion of the brain in the vit. C-enriched lunch groups, (ii) an increased local perfusion of the right principal trigeminal nucleus (Vp) due to mastication, and (iii) a reduction of the rightward asymmetry of the Vp perfusion, due to mastication, after the vit C-enriched meal compared to the control meal. These results confirmed a long-lasting effect of prolonged mastication on Vp perfusion and also suggest a possible effect of vit. C on cerebral vascular tone regulation. Moreover, the data strongly draw attention on the side-to-side relation in Vp perfusion as a possible physiological parameter to be considered to understand the origin of pathological conditions like migraine.
长时间咀嚼可能会引起三叉神经主核局部灌注的不对称改变。本研究的目的是评估维生素C（vit.C）对这种效应的可能影响。四组健康志愿者接受了动脉自旋标记磁共振成像（ASL-MRI），以评估在食用富含vit.C的午餐或对照午餐后三叉神经核的局部灌注情况。在进行1小时的咀嚼运动或1小时的休息期之前和之后，分别进行了两次ASL-MRI扫描。结果显示：（i）富含vit.C的午餐组大脑的整体灌注增加；（ii）咀嚼导致右侧三叉神经主核（Vp）的局部灌注增加；（iii）与对照餐相比，富含vit.C的餐食后，咀嚼导致的Vp灌注向右不对称性降低。这些结果证实了长时间咀嚼对Vp灌注有持久影响，也提示了vit.C对脑血管张力调节可能有作用。此外，这些数据强烈提醒人们关注Vp灌注的左右关系，这可能是理解偏头痛等病理状况起源时需要考虑的一个生理参数。
