title: Superior head of human lateral pterygoid muscle: single motor unit firing rates during isometric force.
abstract: The superior head of the human lateral pterygoid muscle (SHLP) has been classically considered to have functions that are independent of the inferior head of the lateral pterygoid (IHLP). Recent evidence however suggests that some of the functional properties of the SHLP are similar to those of the IHLP. The aim was to determine whether the functional properties in terms of single motor unit (SMU) firing rates within the SHLP vary with horizontal isometric force (400-800gwt) and direction (i.e., contralateral (CL), protrusive (P), ipsilateral (IL) and intermediate directions, CL-P, IL-P) in a manner similar to those identified for the IHLP, and as would be expected if both SHLP and IHLP should be regarded as one muscle. In eight subjects, the firing rates of 40 SMUs were recorded from computer tomography (CT)-verified SHLP sites while each subject exerted horizontal isometric forces with their lower jaw onto a force transducer in the five directions. Firing rates increased significantly with horizontal isometric force from 400 to 800gwt. Firing rates also changed significantly (p<0.01) with direction with CL, CL-P and P having comparable firing rates (13.3, 12.6 and 12.6impulses/s, respectively) which were significantly higher than IL-P. The similarity of these data to previous IHLP data, provide additional support for the hypothesis that the SHLP and the IHLP should be regarded as two parts of one muscle.
authors: Jaw Function and Orofacial Pain Research Unit, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney, Level 3, Professorial Unit, Centre for Oral Health, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.
authors: Supanigar
authors: S
authors: Ruangsri
authors: Terry
authors: T
authors: Whittle
authors: Greg M
authors: GM
authors: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001732:Bite Force; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D004576:Electromyography / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D007568:Jaw / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011626:Pterygoid Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed