Functional subdivision of the human masseter and temporalis muscles as shown by the condylar movement response to electrical muscle stimulation

In previous studies from our laboratory, a functional subdivision of the human temporalis and masseter muscles was demonstrated by means of opto-electronic recordings of the lower incisal point movement responses to electrical muscle stimulation. In the present study, it was examined whether this subdivision was also reflected in different movement responses of the mandibular condyle. To that end, the condylar movement responses to unilateral stimulation of four masseter muscle parts and three temporalis muscle parts were studied in four different jaw positions. The kinematic centre was used for condylar reference point. For both the amplitude and the direction of the movement responses, the effects of stimulation location and jaw position were studied using multivariate ANOVA and contrast analyses. It was found that for both outcome variables, the functional subdivision of the masseter and temporalis muscles was also reflected in some, but not all, of the movement responses of the mandibular condyles. The deep masseter muscle part and the (anterior) temporalis muscle part responded similarly to electrical stimulation.