Neuromuscular adaptation of craniofacial muscles to altered oral sensation

Experimentally induced changes in oral sensation to the tongue altered the use of specific craniofacial muscles. An acrylic wedge was anchored to the maxillary teeth of ten adult rhesus monkeys, providing a tactile-pressure sensation to the dorsal surface of the tongue. Fifteen craniofacial and tongue muscles were studied by electromyography during the first 6 months of adaptation. The results showed that there was an overall shift in those muscles that were normally tonically active in the craniofacial region. Muscles of the suprahyoid region, the geniohyoid and digastric, as well as the platysma muscle of the face, and the lateral pterygoid muscle were tonically active in more animals after placement of the wedge. In contrast to the enhanced activity of mandibular and facial muscles that function during mandibular depression, only the anterior temporalis muscle in the superficial and deep region demonstrated more tonic activity. The superficial and deep masseter regions, as well as the medial pterygoid muscle, demonstrated no change in their EMG activity. Only the lip muscles and mentalis demonstrated increased activity, whereas the facial muscles with more vertically oriented fibers did not demonstrate any increased activity. These findings suggest that a change in the tactile stimulation to the tongue can induce a new balance in the level of activity of specific craniofacial muscles and that this altered neuromuscular pattern can remain throughout the first 6 months of adaptation.