title: Functional adaptability of jaw-muscle spindles after bite-raising.
abstract: In a previous experiment, we found that masseter muscle spindles show functional plasticity after 5 to 15 days under increased occlusal vertical dimension (iOVD). In the present study, we hypothesized that spindle function would eventually recover if longer observation periods were allowed. Therefore, in this study we investigated changes in masseter muscle spindle function over periods of 1 day to 8 weeks. Masseter muscle-spindle responses to ramp-and-hold jaw stretches were recorded from the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus in 35 barbiturate-anesthetized female Wistar rats. The rats were previously divided into Control and iOVD groups, and those in the iOVD group received a 2.0-mm composite resin build-up to the maxillary molars. In this condition, there were no statistically significant differences in masseter muscle spindle sensitivity between Control and iOVD in the six- and eight-week subgroups. Our results further indicate a high degree of adaptability in masseter muscle spindle function following changes in OVD.
authors.affiliation: Orthodontic Science, Department of Orofacial Development and Function, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8549, Japan. yabushita-t.orts@tmd.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yabushita
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zeredo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Toda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soma
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D008406:Masseter Muscle / Q000502:physiology*; D009470:Muscle Spindles / Q000502:physiology*; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014278:Trigeminal Nuclei / Q000502:physiology; D014716:Vertical Dimension