Influence of vision on masticatory muscles function: surface electromyographic evaluation

Abstract

The role of the ocular disorders (OD) in pathogenesis of MMp is still a controversal issue. Ocular arc reflexes (OAR) may involve changes in head and neck posture and generate modifications of contraction resulting in muscle contraction and finally weakness. sEMG tests were performed on 28 patients (13 with masticatory muscles pain and myopia/15 healthy) in rest position with eyes open and eyes closed. Patients group control (healthy patients) showed no significance difference in sEMG record in open/close test. In non healthy patients there were great differences between the sEMG recordings with eyes closed and open. Temporalis and masseters showed a statistical difference of means activation in two tests (temporalis p = 0.0010; masseters = 0.0006). Great difference there was in means muscles activation between open eyes healthy test and non healthy. No difference in close eyes test was evaluated in temporalis and masseters close test in the two groups. The exact causes of MMp are still unknown. The role how ocular disorders (OD) may play an important role in pathogenesis of MMp is still a controversal issue. Ocular arc reflexes (OAR) may involve changes in head and neck posture and generate modifications of contraction resulting in muscle contraction and finally weakness.

Keywords: masticatory muscles pain; ocular disorders; surface electromyography.

Figure 1

Possible pathogenesis of MMs.

Figure 2

Patient with surface electromyography electrodes.

Figure 3

Possible neurologic connection. Corpus genicolatum lateralis CGL; nucleus centralis (NC); nucleus rubrum (NR); substantia reticularis (SR); nucleus motorius nervi trigemini (N mo V); ganglius trigemini (GT); apparatus sensitivus nervi trigemini (ASV). [modified from Francis Hartmann, Gerard Cucchi. Le disfunzioni cranio-mandibolari (SADAM). Ed. Springer, 1997]