Trigeminal Effects

Trigeminal effects include the pungency of ginger, the burn of cinnamon, the cooling of mint, the heat of hot peppers, the tingling of carbon dioxide, the sting of alcohol, and more (Figure 4.7). The word trigeminal refers to the nerve that carries the signal of these sensations from nerve endings in the mouth and nose to the brain. To make matters interesting, this same nerve carries signals of temperature and pressure. Is it any wonder, then, that some trigeminal effects are “hot” or “cooling”?