Effects of food texture and head posture on oropharyngeal swallowing.

This study aimed to describe the electromyographic (EMG) activity patterns of the genioglossus (GG) and suprahyoid (SHy) muscles during swallowing. The effects of changes in food texture/consistency and head posture on transport of the swallowed bolus were also investigated. Participants were 10 normal adults.

Modulation of jaw reflexes induced by noxious stimulation to the muscle in anesthetized rats.

Previous studies have shown that jaw reflexes and activity patterns of the jaw muscles were modulated in the presence of jaw muscle pain. However, there is no study comparing the modulatory effects on the jaw reflexes induced by noxious stimulation to the jaw muscle. To clarify this, effects of the application of mustard oil (MO), an inflammatory irritant, into the temporalis (jaw-closing) muscle on (1) jaw-opening reflex evoked by tooth pulp stimulation (TP-evoked JOR) as a nociceptive reflex, (2) jaw-opening reflex evoked by inferior alveolar nerve stimulation as a non-nociceptive reflex and (3) jaw-closing reflex evoked by trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus stimulation as a proprioceptive reflex were investigated in anesthetized rats.

Activity of peri-oral facial muscles and its coordination with jaw muscles during ingestive behavior in awake rabbits.

To study peri-oral facial muscle activity patterns and coordination with jaw muscles during ingestive behavior, electromyographic (EMG) activities in the peri-oral facial (buccinator: BUC, orbicularis oris: ORB) and jaw (masseter, digastric) muscles along with jaw movement trajectories were recorded in awake rabbits. A standardized amount of apple in a cylindrical shape was used as the test food. The period from food intake to just before swallowing (the masticatory sequence) was divided into three masticatory periods (preparatory period, rhythmic chewing period and preswallow period) based on the activity pattern of jaw muscles and jaw movement trajectories, and jaw movements and EMG activities in both the jaw and facial muscles during each masticatory period were assessed.

Effect of cortical masticatory area stimulation on swallowing in anesthetized rabbits.

The effects of stimulation of the cortical masticatory area (CMA) on swallowing evoked by superior laryngeal nerve (SLN) were studied in anesthetized rabbits. Electromyographic activity of the thyrohyoid, masseter, and digastric muscles and jaw-movement trajectories were recorded to monitor rhythmic jaw movements (RJMs) or swallowing. A systematic series of microelectrode penetrations within the CMA was made for each animal, and the effects of CMA stimulation on swallowing were tested by comparing the number of swallows evoked by stimulation of the CMA alone, the SLN alone, and simultaneous stimulation of the SLN and CMA.

[A case of breast cancer with multiple bone metastases improved by high-dose toremifene].

A 63-year-old woman underwent modified radical mastectomy with 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil) and MPA endocrine therapy for breast cancer. Because of nausea and general fatigue, she refused to continue this therapy and did not visit the hospital. When she came our hospital and 16 months later, she had developed multiple bone metastases.