Trigeminal-Somatic Memory Encoding and Neurodegeneration (TMEN): A Mechanistic Link Between Bruxism, Maladaptive Memory, and Neuroinflammation
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Why do 60-70% of PTSD patients grind their teeth? The Trigeminal-Somatic Memory Encoding and Neurodegeneration (TMEN) model proposes a radical answer: chronic jaw clenching may physically over-encode traumatic memories via trigeminal-vagus-hippocampal hyperstimulation. In the acute phase, masseter activation triggers brainstem vagal nuclei, driving locus coeruleus norepinephrine surges that hijack hippocampal memory consolidation. In the chronic phase, vagal-mediated gut dysbiosis elevates LPS, priming microglia for neuroinflammatory synaptic pruning. With bruxism-PTSD and bruxism-addiction comorbidities far exceeding chance (Huffman et al., 2019; Mackey et al., 2019), TMEN suggests dental interventions—like Botox to masseters—could disrupt maladaptive memory encoding. This mechanistic framework bridges dentistry, trauma psychology, and neurodegeneration, offering testable pathways for prevention and treatment.
