An analysis of mandibular movement trajectories and masticatory muscle EMG activity during drinking in the guinea pig

Abstract

Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the anterior digastric, lateral pterygoid, and deep masseter muscles as well as the associated jaw movements during drinking were studied in the awake guinea pig. Drinking was characterized by rhythmic, vertically directed jaw movements with little or no associated lateral movements. The jaw opening phase of each cycle was associated with bilaterally synchronized EMG activity in the digastric and lateral pterygoid muscles, and the jaw closing phase with bilaterally synchronized activity in the masseter muscles. The mean EMG burst durations (± 1 S.E.) in the digastric and masseter muscles were 164.2 ± 14.93 ms and 94.3 ± 26.44 ms, respectively. The digastric muscle EMG burst duration was significantly correlated with drinking cycle time and with masseter muscle EMG onset; on the other hand, masseter muscle EMG burst duration was not correlated with cycle time. These patterns of EMG activity and jaw movement trajectories are similar to those induced by apomorphine in the ketamine-anesthetized guinea pig.