Mental Stress-induced Physiological Changes in the Human Masseter Muscle

The effect of a long mental stress on the hemodynamics of masticatory muscles has not been investigated to date. We hypothesized some hemodynamic and electromyographic changes in jaw-closure muscles related to sympathetic nervous system activity. While healthy adult female volunteers performed a two...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of dental research 2004-03, Vol.83 (3), p.227-231
Main Authors: Hidaka, O., Yanagi, M., Takada, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Analysis of Variance
Blood Pressure - physiology
Dentistry
Electrocardiography
Electromyography
Female
Heart Rate - physiology
Hemodynamics - physiology
Hemoglobins - analysis
Humans
Masseter Muscle - innervation
Masseter Muscle - physiopathology
Muscle Contraction - physiology
Oxygen Consumption - physiology
Oxyhemoglobins - analysis
Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
Stress, Psychological - physiopathology
Sympathetic Nervous System - physiopathology
Temporal Muscle - innervation
Temporal Muscle - physiopathology
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Summary:The effect of a long mental stress on the hemodynamics of masticatory muscles has not been investigated to date. We hypothesized some hemodynamic and electromyographic changes in jaw-closure muscles related to sympathetic nervous system activity. While healthy adult female volunteers performed a two-hour mental stress task, electromyographic activity of the temporal and masseteric muscles was recorded, and hemodynamic changes of the masseter muscle were measured non-invasively. Autonomic function was assessed by heart rate spectral analysis. Integrated electromyographic activity of the temporalis muscle, but not the masseter muscle, showed an increase that coincided with the increase in sympathetic nervous activity. In the masseter muscle, despite little change in integrated electromyographic activity, notable changes were found in hemodynamic parameters. These results suggest that hemodynamics of jaw muscles is susceptible to mental stress, implying a potential role in the etiology of jaw muscle dysfunction associated with mental stress.
ISSN:0022-0345
1544-0591
DOI:10.1177/154405910408300308