title: Masticatory biomechanics in the rabbit: a multi-body dynamics analysis.
abstract: Multi-body dynamics is a powerful engineering tool which is becoming increasingly popular for the simulation and analysis of skull biomechanics. This paper presents the first application of multi-body dynamics to analyse the biomechanics of the rabbit skull. A model has been constructed through the combination of manual dissection and three-dimensional imaging techniques (magnetic resonance imaging and micro-computed tomography). Individual muscles are represented with multiple layers, thus more accurately modelling muscle fibres with complex lines of action. Model validity was sought through comparing experimentally measured maximum incisor bite forces with those predicted by the model. Simulations of molar biting highlighted the ability of the masticatory system to alter recruitment of two muscle groups, in order to generate shearing or crushing movements. Molar shearing is capable of processing a food bolus in all three orthogonal directions, whereas molar crushing and incisor biting are predominately directed vertically. Simulations also show that the masticatory system is adapted to process foods through several cycles with low muscle activations, presumably in order to prevent rapidly fatiguing fast fibres during repeated chewing cycles. Our study demonstrates the usefulness of a validated multi-body dynamics model for investigating feeding biomechanics in the rabbit, and shows the potential for complementing and eventually reducing in vivo experiments.
authors.affiliation: Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK p.j.watson@hull.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Research Programme, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gröning
authors.affiliation: Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.affiliation: Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Fitton
authors.affiliation: Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Case postale 55, Paris Cedex 5 75231, France Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herrel
authors.affiliation: Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fagan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D001732:Bite Force; D003198:Computer Simulation; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008409:Mastication / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: bite force; mastication; multi-body dynamics analysis; rabbit skull