K. Furusawa et al., PROPRIOCEPTIVE REPRESENTATION OF THE LEVATOR VELI PALATINI MUSCLE IN THE SOLITARY NUCLEUS OF THE RAT, The Cleft palate-craniofacial journal, 33(3), 1996, pp. 213-218
The levator veli palatini muscle is innervated by motoneurons of the g
lossopharyngeal nerve, which are located within the ambiguus nucleus;
however, little is known about the afferent fibers of this muscle. A h
orseradish peroxidase study was conducted in rats following injection
into the levator veli palatini muscle branch to reveal the location an
d the distribution of dendrites of the afferent fibers of the muscle,
Terminal labels were densely distributed in the lateral region of the
solitary nucleus, which receives afferents of the glossopharyngeal ner
ve, ipsilateral and contralateral to the injection site. The relations
hip of the levator veli palatini muscle with respiration was suggested
by the localization of labeled terminals at sites where the afferents
from the respiratory organs project densely, and by the demonstrated
proprioceptive role of the afferent fibers passing through the muscle
spindles contained in the levator veli palatini muscle.