Prague Med. Rep. 2022, 123, 258-265
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: An Analysis of the Electromyographic Fatigue of the Masticatory Muscles
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a chronic degenerative disease that affects motor neurons, thereby promoting functional changes in the human body. The study evaluated the electromyographic fatigue threshold of the masseter and temporal muscles of subjects with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A total of eighteen subjects were divided into two groups: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (n=9) and disease-free control (n=9). The groups were equally divided according to gender (7 males, 2 females). The fatigue threshold was analysed using median frequencies obtained during the 5-second window (initial [IP], mid [MP], and final [FP] periods) of electromyographic signalling of the masseter and temporal muscles bilaterally, with reduction in muscle force during maximal voluntary dental clenching. Significant difference (p<0.05) in the left temporal muscle: IP (p=0.05) and MP (p=0.05) periods was demonstrated. The amyotrophic lateral sclerosis group showed a decrease in median frequency of the electromyographic signal of the masseter and temporal muscles compared to the control group. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis promotes functional impairment of the stomatognathic system, especially at the electromyographic fatigue threshold of the masticatory muscles.
Keywords
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Electromyographic fatigue, Median frequency, Masseter muscle, Temporal muscle.
Funding
This study was supported by FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo), and National Institute and Technology – Translational Medicine (INCT.TM), São Paulo, Brazil.
References
Copyright
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.
