Assessment of surface electromyography during orofacial Praxis in healthy subjects

Abstract

Traumatic Brain Injury or injuries involving the posterior region of the brain can cause orofacial apraxia. Rehabilitation and diagnosis of pathologies associated with apraxias require better tools to evaluate and quantify the muscles activation during praxis performing. Developing a protocol to acquire surface electromyography (sEMG) from small muscles associated with orofacial praxis is necessary for the quantitative valuation of apraxias. In this paper we aim to test the use of Ag/AgCl electrodes with 20 mm diameter respect to Au electrodes with 7 mm diameter to acquire sEMG from orofacial muscles. Our findings show that there is not statistically significant difference between medians of Ag/AgCl and Au measures. We recommend the use of Ag/AgCl in the masseter region and Au electrodes in the orbicularis oris and other small muscles.