title: Modulation of H reflex of pretibial and soleus muscles during mastication in humans.
abstract: A previous study in our laboratory demonstrated that the soleus H reflex was facilitated during mastication in humans. In the present study, we investigated whether there was any modulation of the magnitude of the pretibial H reflex during mastication in five healthy adult volunteers. The pretibial H reflex was significantly facilitated during mastication, and there was no significant difference in the facilitation between jaw-closing and jaw-opening phases; that is, the gain of the H reflex was modulated tonically but not in a phase-dependent manner during mastication. Furthermore, in the same subjects, we confirmed that the soleus H reflex was facilitated during mastication. Based on our findings, we conclude that the H reflexes in both the pretibial and soleus muscles undergo a nonreciprocal facilitation during mastication. It is suggested that mastication contributes to stabilization of postural stance in humans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Function, Division of Maxillofacial/Neck Reconstruction, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 5-45 Yushima 1-chome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan. t.takihashi.spmd@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D019054:Evoked Potentials, Motor / Q000502:physiology; D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D012026:Reflex, Stretch / Q000502:physiology