Associate Professor (214) 828-8275 Room: 441 bhutchins@bcd.tamhsc.edu Somatosensory Studies of the Craniofacial Complex, Pain and Inflammation.

:: Research / Professional Interests

In general, this laboratory has been involved with basic somatosensory research.  For example, experiments have been designed to assess the accessory innervation from the feline mandibular dentition and their central pathways. Results have indicated some of the mandibular dentition send sensory information centrally along non-trigeminal pathways, the cervical plexus.  Additional studies have also shown the dorsal root ganglia from cervical spinal cord levels C1-C3 send projections to brainstem areas involved with head-related pain.

Recently, however, this laboratory has been focusing on questions concerning pain and inflammation from the clinically significant temporomandibular joint.  These questions concern the contribution of nociceptors to pain and inflammation, i.e., neurogenic pain and inflammation.  In order to look at inflammation, we have been using the irritant, complete Freund’s adjuvant within the rat TMJ, which results in acute and chronic inflammation. Recently, using this model, I have been examining how the primary neuron responds during different inflammatory conditions. 

This includes three areas of the neuron, the peripheral terminals, the cell body, and the central terminals. The technique that is presently being employed to look at these primary neurons is the superfusion technique, which is an in vitro method to analyze the release of pro-inflammatory peptides when stimulated by known irritants.

For example, the capsaicin-sensitive neurons, a subset of nociceptors, are being characterized for the first time in a joint for their release of neurogenic peptides.

Therefore, it is my goal to analyze and characterize the mechanisms of the primary nociceptor during varying conditions of pain and inflammation.

:: Education

Louisiana State University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Postdoctoral Fellowship (1982-1983)  Department of Anatomy
Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
Ph.D. (1978-1983)  Department of Anatomical Sciences
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois
MBA (1971-1972)  Department of Business
Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois
B.S. (1968-1971) Department of Business

:: Career History

:: Honors

National Research Service Award, N.E.I. sponsored (1983-1985)
ADA National Board’s Anatomic Sciences Test Construction Committee (2002-present)

:: Teaching Responsibilities

Gross Anatomy (Dental), Neuroscience (Dental), Course Director, Sensory Neurobiology and Pain (Graduate), Course Director, Functional Head and Neck Anatomy (Graduate), Integrated Biomedical Sciences (Dental Hygiene).

:: Recent Grants

• Rapid Estrogen Modulation of VR1 Nociceptors. Baylor Oral Health Foundation, 2003-2004.

1. Spears, R., Oakes, R., Moore, C., Bellinger, L.L. and Hutchins, B.  Tumor necrosis factor-a and apoptosis in the rat temporomandibular joint.   Arch. Oral Biol. 48 (2003) 825-834.

2. Kerins, C.A., Spears, R., Bellinger, L.L, and Hutchins, B.  The prospective use of cox-2 inhibitors for the treatment of temporomandibular joint inflammatory disorders. Inter. J. Immunopath. Pharm., 16 (2003) 1-10.

3. Spears, R., Oakes, R., Moore, C., Bellinger, LL., and Hutchins, B.  A determination of tumor necrosis factor expression in TMJ inflammation using microarray analysis.  J. Dent. Res., 82 (2003) 807-813.

4. Bhatka, R., Throckmorton, G.S., Wintergerst, A., Hutchins, B., and Buschang, P.H.  Bolus Size and Unilateral Chewing Cycle Kinematics.  Arch Oral Biol., 49 (2004) 559-566. 

5. Spears, R., Dees, L.A., Sapozhnikov, M. Bellinger, L.L., and Hutchins, B.  Temporal changes of inflammatory peptide concentrations in an adjuvant-induced inflammatory TMJ model.  J. Orofacial Pain (In Press).

6. Kerins, C.A., Carlson, D.S., Hinton, R.J., Hutchins, B., Grogan, D.M.,  Karina Marr, K., Kramer, P.R., Spears  R.D., and Larry L. Bellinger, L.L.  Specificity of meal pattern analysis as an animal model of determining temporomandibular joint inflammation/pain.  Int. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg., (In Press).