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Oro-facial muscles: internal structure, function and ageing.

A J McComas1

  • 1Department of Medicine (Division of Neurology), McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Gerodontology
|October 26, 1999
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Masticatory and facial muscles exhibit unique structures and functions compared to limb muscles, with distinct motor unit compositions and aging patterns. Further research is needed to understand oro-facial muscle aging, as extrapolations from limb muscles are insufficient.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Muscle Physiology
  • Anatomy

Background:

  • Masticatory and lower facial muscles possess unique structural and functional properties.
  • Jaw closure strength is significantly influenced by the masseter muscle's pinnated fiber arrangement.
  • Masticatory muscles have unique innervation patterns, with muscle spindle afferent cell bodies in the brain stem.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structure and function of masticatory, lower facial, and tongue muscles.
  • To compare the characteristics of oro-facial muscles with those of limb muscles.
  • To highlight the need for specific aging studies on oro-facial muscles.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on masticatory, facial, and tongue muscles.
  • Analysis of muscle fiber types (Type I, Type II, intermediate) and motor unit composition.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of structural and functional changes, including aging effects.

    • Main Results:

    • Masticatory muscles have a high number of motor units, greater than limb muscles.
    • Oro-facial muscles show a mix of fiber types, including intermediate fibers and fiber type grouping.
    • Aging leads to atrophy, reduced X-ray density, prolonged motor unit twitches, and decreased strength in masticatory muscles.

    Conclusions:

    • Significant structural and functional differences exist between oro-facial and limb muscles.
    • Current understanding of oro-facial muscle aging is limited.
    • Ageing studies should focus specifically on oro-facial muscles, avoiding direct extrapolation from limb muscle data.