Distribution of movement-related cortical potential upon jaw-biting in humans

We examined the cerebral location of the readiness potential (hereinafter referred to as "RP") upon activation of the masseter muscle by voluntary and unilateral jaw-biting movement. Four normal adults served as subjects. Five scalp electrodes were placed according to the international 10-20 method at CZ, C3, C4, T3 and T4. In addition, in one of the subjects, RPs were recorded by 12 scalp electrodes in order to study changes occurring in the distribution of RPs with time. The maximum amplitude of the RP was located at T4 in the temporal area, which was involved in the biting movement as a negative slow potential occurring 1.4-0.8 s before the beginning of the discharge to the masseter muscle. The maximum amplitude of the RP on the contralateral side was located at T3. This meant that the amplitude of the RP tended to be higher on the same side as the biting movement than on the contralateral side in all subjects. From scalp topography, the maximum amplitude of the RP was shown to be confined to T4, and was especially marked immediately before the beginning of discharge to the masseter muscle. From these results it is thought that in the case of voluntary biting movement, the RP reflects activities of the pyramidal cells in the masticatory area of the cortex, and that strong descending impulses from both sides then reach the masseter muscles.