Motor unit activities of human masseter muscle during sustained voluntary contractions

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the motor unit activities of the human masseter muscle during sustained the bite force at a constant level. The electrical activities recorded with surface and inserted electrodes were studied, with the following results. 1. The masseter muscle had the changes of activities in two phases as a contraction progressed. 2. In the first phase, surface EMG activities decreased and discharge frequency of motor units also decreased. 3. In the second phase, surface EMG activities increased and discharge frequency of motor units also increased. 4. In the first phase, it was suggested that the bite force was maintained by an increase in the twitch tension produced by a motor unit and that there were no recruitment of additional motor units. 5. In the second phase, it was indicated that the bite force was maintained by the recruitment of new motor units and an increase in the discharge frequency of motor units to compensate a loss of force resulted from the contractile element fatigue.