Abstract
BackgroundThis paper describes the use of real-time magnetic resonance imaging in visualizing and quantifying oral cavity motor strategies employed by 6 healthy, elite horn players and 5 horn players with embouchure dystonia.MethodsSerial images with an acquisition time of 33.3 ms were obtained from each performer during execution of an 11-note harmonic series encompassing 2.5 octaves on a magnetic resonance imaging-compatible horn. A customized MATLAB toolkit was employed for the extraction of line profiles from magnetic resonance imaging films allowing comparative analyses between elite and dystonic horn players.ResultsThe data demonstrate differing motor strategies, particularly in moving from the 6th through 9th harmonics. The elite horn player strategy features elevation and anterior displacement of the tongue during ascending sequences, whereas dystonic players showed significantly less movement. The elite horn players thus narrowed the air channel on higher notes, presumably affording faster airflow for vibration of the lips at higher frequencies.ConclusionsWe postulate that failure to employ this strategy by dystonic horn players may require greater tension in the embouchure muscles to compensate for slower air speed. Though this may simply be an expression of or adaptation for dystonia, the possibility that it may be a contributing factor in the development of embouchure dystonia is suggested.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40734-015-0027-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
This paper describes the use of real-time magnetic resonance imaging in visualizing and quantifying oral cavity motor strategies employed by 6 healthy, elite horn players and 5 horn players with embouchure dystonia
Performance device and testing protocol Six healthy elite horn players and five horn players diagnosed with embouchure dystonia served as subjects for this study
The embouchure dystonia players are former professional horn players whose voluntary participation was solicited from a pool of patients who had previously been diagnosed by a movement disorders specialist at the Institute of Music Physiology and Musician’s Medicine in Hannover, Germany
Summary
This paper describes the use of real-time magnetic resonance imaging in visualizing and quantifying oral cavity motor strategies employed by 6 healthy, elite horn players and 5 horn players with embouchure dystonia. Embouchure dystonia is a subcategory of musician’s dystonia affecting the muscles of the lower face, jaw, and tongue which control air flow into the mouthpiece of a wind instrument [5,6,7,8,9,10,11]. This painless disorder typically has its onset in the fourth decade, is often restricted to specific technical aspects of playing, may be limited to particular note frequency ranges, and has a variety of phenotypes including lip lock (inability to start notes), tremor, lip pulling
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
