Peripherally induced and anticipating elevator muscle activity during simulated chewing in humans

F. A. Ottenhoff, A. van der Bilt, H. W. van der Glas and F. Bosman Department of Oral Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands. 1. During chewing, little muscle activity is required to make open-close movements with the mandible, and much additional muscle activity (AMA) of the closing muscles is needed to overcome the resistance of food. The neuromuscular control of the AMA was investigated. 2. Subjects made rhythmic open-close movements at their natural chewing frequency controlled by a metronome. Food resistance was simulated by an external force, acting on the jaw in a downward direction during part of the closing movement. Sequences of cycles with a force were unexpectedly alternated with sequences of cycles without a force. Jaw movement, and surface electromyograph (EMG) of the masseter, temporalis, and digastric muscles on both sides were recorded during cycles before and after the transition from force to no force (Disappear experiment) and vice versa (Appear experiment). 3. The movement trajectory of the second and following cycles after the transition from force to no force or vice versa were similar. Thus adaptation to the changed circumstances occurred in both types of experiments within two open-close cycles. 4. In the first cycle with force in the Appear experiments, the AMA started, on average, 129 ms after the onset of the force. In all other cycles with force, the AMA started, on average, 70 ms before the onset of the force at a low level and steeply increased 23 ms after the onset of the force. 5. In the first cycle without force in the Disappear experiments, the AMA started, on average, 69 ms before the moment at which the force would have started. However, the large contribution to the AMA had disappeared.