Histochemical characteristics of human mimic muscles

doi:10.1016/0022-510X(88)90017-2

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

Volume 83, Issue 1, January 1988, Pages 25-35

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-510X(88)90017-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

Eight different mimic muscles of 13 human cadavers (7 male, 6 female) were studied by histochemical techniques. In sections stained for myosin ATPase the composition of fibre types was quantitatively evaluated by computer-assisted image analysis. The data were compared to those of 2 muscles in the lower limb of the same individuals. According to the percentage of the type I muscle fibres 3 groups of mimic muscles were distinguished: (1) the orbicularis oculi muscle (15%), (2) the major zygomatic, levator labii superioris, levator anguli oris, depressor anguli oris muscles and platysma (27–38%), and (3) the occipitofrontal and buccinator muscles (57–77%). For comparison, the gracilis and rectus femoris muscles were built up by 36% and 48% of type I fibres.

The average diameters of fibres in mimic muscles were significantly less than in the 2 limb muscles. Differences in muscle fibre size between male and female specimens were not significant. The relevance of morphological characteristics of mimic muscles for facial expression and reconstructive surgery is discussed.

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Cited by (43)

Comparison of static and dynamic symmetry between masseter-innervated and dual-innervated free multivector serratus anterior muscle transfer for complete facial paralysis
2023, Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery
In this study, facial symmetry was compared between the masseter-innervated and dual-innervated free multivector serratus anterior muscle transfer (FMSAMT) methods.
Eighteen patients with unilateral complete facial paralysis underwent facial reanimation surgery between April 2006 and July 2019. The masseter-innervated FMSAMT group (Group M, n = 8) underwent end-to-end coaptation with the ipsilateral masseter nerve in one stage. The dual-innervated FMSAMT group (Group D, n = 10) underwent end-to-end coaptation with the masseter nerve and end-to-side coaptation with the contralateral facial nerve via cross-face nerve graft. They were further divided into the one-stage (Group D1, n = 5) and two-stage (Group D2, n = 5) subgroups. The durations of periods until the first visible muscle contraction with clenching, first spontaneous smile, and the completion of resting tone were evaluated. The possibility of a spontaneous smile and symmetry of the midline and horizontal deviation at rest and during voluntary smiling were compared between each group.
Groups M and D differed significantly in the possibility of a spontaneous smile and improvement rate of midline deviation and horizontal deviation at rest (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, and p = 0.001, respectively) but not in the improvement rate of midline and horizontal deviation during voluntary smiling. The duration of the period until the completion of resting tone was significantly shorter in Group D1 than in Group D2 (p = 0.048); however, the possibility of a spontaneous smile and the improvement rate of midline and horizontal deviation were not significantly different.
Dual-innervated FMSAMT was effective in guaranteeing a symmetrical resting tone, voluntary smiling, and reproducing a spontaneous smile.
Platysma and the cervical superficial musculoaponeurotic system — Comparative analysis of facial crease and platysmal band development
2020, Annals of Anatomy
Citation Excerpt :
In our opinion, regarding its function in transferring mimic muscle contraction to the skin SMAS three dimensional multiplanar fibro-adipose meshwork concept described by this study results is justified. The platysma is a multifunctional mimic muscle that covers the cervical area with histochemical constitutional similarities to the zygomaticus major, depressor anguli oris, levator labii superioris and levator anguli oris muscles, reflecting the phasic activity that occurs during the expression of fast emotional reactions (Happak et al., 1988; May et al., 2018; Som and Laitman, 2017). The space between the platysma muscle and the skin was described in former investigation as the superficial fascia (Lindner, 1986).
The superficial musculoaponeurotic system connects the mimic muscles to the skin, allowing mimic expressions with regional morphological architectural differences. The aim of this study was to perform an architectural analysis of the cervical platysma-skin interaction, determine the morphological implications in platysmal band development and compare the findings to the facial SMAS architectural types.
Full-thickness blocks of skin, SMAS and platysma from seven hemifaces (three male and two female) and full-thickness blocks of skin, SMAS and mimic muscles of the periorbital, perioral, forehead and midfacial regions from six hemifaces (three male and three female) of donor bodies were collected postmortem. Serial histological sections were cut and stained with Azan. After the morphological analysis, three-dimensional reconstruction of the tissue block was performed with AutoCAD. The morphological and mechanical properties of the different facial SMAS types were compared with those of the cervical SMAS.
The architecture of the cervical SMAS (type V) consists of parallel, aligned septum fibrosus profundus and septum fibrosus superficialis tissue connected by vertical, aligned septa fibrotica commisurales tissue delimiting fatty tissue compartments transferring platysmal contractions to the skin. The facial morphological dynamic mimic pattern (SMAS types I, II and III) describes the point-by-point transfer of mimic muscle bundle contractions to the skin, explaining facial crease formation. The cervical morphological dynamic mimic pattern (SMAS type V) can be explained by dual traction force collimation over the septum fibrosus superficialis and profundus in platysmal band development.
The cervical SMAS (type V) description supports the hypothesis that the SMAS and platysma have different morphological origins. The two different facial and cervical morphological dynamic mimic patterns support the phenotypical difference between facial fold and platysmal band development.
The facial motor system
2014, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
Citation Excerpt :
On the other end of the spectrum, facial muscles with the highest representation of slow-twitch fiber types (around 50% of the total pool of fibers) are the frontalis, the corrugator supercilii and the depressor labii inferioris (Freilinger et al., 1990; Goodmurphy and Ovalle, 1999; Happak et al., 1988). The remaining muscles, namely the platysma, the mentalis, the depressor anguli oris, the orbicularis oris, the levator anguli oris, the zygomatici, and the levator labii superioris have an approximate fast-slow fiber type ratio of 2:1 (Dittert and Bardosi, 1989; Freilinger et al., 1990; Happak et al., 1988; Schwarting et al., 1982; Stål et al., 1987, 1990). One peculiarity of facial muscles of unclear functional significance that was described for the the zygomatici and the orbicularis oris muscles is the presence of fibers with intermediate staining characteristics between type IIA and type IIB fibers, which have been named type IIAB (Stål et al., 1987, 1994) and which are characterized by a myosin heavy chain isoform that is unique to facial muscles (Stål et al., 1994).
Facial movements support a variety of functions in human behavior. They participate in automatic somatic and visceral motor programs, they are essential in producing communicative displays of affective states and they are also subject to voluntary control. The multiplicity of functions of facial muscles, compared to limb muscles, is reflected in the heterogeneity of their anatomical and histological characteristics that goes well beyond the conventional classification in single facial muscles. Such parcellation in different functional muscular units is maintained throughout the central representation of facial movements from the brainstem up to the neocortex. Facial movements peculiarly lack a conventional proprioceptive feedback system, which is only in part vicariated by cutaneous or auditory afferents. Facial motor activity is the main marker of endogenous affective states and of the affective valence of external stimuli. At the cortical level, a complex network of specialized motor areas supports voluntary facial movements and, differently from upper limb movements, in such network there does not seem to be a prime actor in the primary motor cortex.
Denervation pattern of three mimic muscles in Bell's palsy
2006, Neurophysiologie Clinique
Citation Excerpt :
The selective sparing of these fibers can be attributed to their relatively smaller diameter and/or to their central intraneural topography, which are both known to act protectively [1,15]. However, the first point is supported only by an indirect indication concerning the very small diameter of the OO muscle fibers compared to that of the other mimic muscles [6], and, despite some earlier opinions favoring a central intraneural course of these facial nerve fibers [14,3], most authors agree that they are diffusely distributed [8,19,16,13]. In this study absence of fibrillation in OO, was found to be correlated with a better prognosis of the palsy and with a significantly better CMAP ratio in all three muscles tested.
To explore the presence and grade of denervation in three mimic muscles in facial nerve palsy.
The frontalis, orbicularis oculi (OO), and mentalis muscles were explored in 54 patients with Bell's palsy, after 30 days from the beginning of symptoms. Concentric needle electromyography, including fibrillation detection, was performed in the three muscles on the affected side. Compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) were recorded on both sides and a CMAP ratio was calculated from each muscle. The House–Brackman scale was used to assess the initial clinical evaluation and the follow-up until recovery.
Fibrillation was recorded in 32 patients on the 30th day after the onset and was present in 100% of mentalis and in 90% of frontalis, but in only 34% of OO, a statistically significant difference. The grade of fibrillation in OO was also statistically lower from those in the other two muscles. The 32 patients were grouped according to the presence (A) or not (B) of fibrillation in OO. In group A, CMAP ratios (affected/normal side) did not differ significantly among the three muscles. However, in group B they were significantly greater in OO and frontalis than in mentalis. In between-group comparison, group B muscles had significantly higher CMAP ratios, lower degree of fibrillation, and better functional recovery.
In facial palsy, the presence and grade of fibrillation in OO are lower than in frontalis and mentalis muscles and prognosis is more favorable for the non-fibrillating OO group of patients.
Ce travail propose d'évaluer la présence et l'importance de la dénervation au niveau des muscles frontal, orbiculaire des paupières (OP) et mentonnier au cours de la paralysie de Bell.
Cinquante-quatre patients souffrant d'une paralysie de Bell ont été évalués. Un bilan électromyographique des muscles frontal, OP et mentonnier, comprenant l'enregistrement de surface des réponses motrices évoquées (réponses M) et la détection de l'activité de repos par électrode–aiguille, a été réalisé 30 jours après le début des symptômes. Un suivi clinique (échelle de House–Brackman) a été assuré jusqu'au terme de la récupération de la paralysie.
Le pourcentage des patients avec des potentiels de fibrillation dans l'OP était significativement plus faible (34 %) que pour les muscles frontaux (90 %) et mentonniers (100 %). L'abondance de ces fibrillations était également significativement plus faible dans l'OP que dans les deux autres muscles. Dans le groupe de patients avec fibrillations dans l'OP (groupe A), le rapport électroneurographique (ENG) des réponses M (côté affecté/côté sain) restait identique dans les trois muscles étudiés. Dans le groupe des patients sans fibrillation dans l'OP (groupe B), les rapports ENG du frontal et de l'OP étaient statistiquement supérieurs à celui du mentonnier. Les patients du groupe B présentaient des rapports ENG statistiquement supérieurs, un degré de fibrillation inférieur et une récupération fonctionnelle meilleure que les patients du groupe A.
Lors de la paralysie faciale périphérique, la fréquence des fibrillations dans l'OP et le degré de celles-ci sont inférieurs à ceux détectés dans le frontal et le mentonnier. L'absence de fibrillation dans l'OP est suggestif d'une évolution plus favorable.
Role of proprioception in the control of lid position during reflex and conditioned blink responses in the alert behaving cat
1999, Neuroscience
The contribution of the orbicularis oculi muscle to the determination of lid position, and the putative role of eyelid proprioception in the control of reflex and conditioned eye blinks, were studied in alert behaving cats. Upper lid movements and the electromyographic activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle were recorded during reflexively evoked blinks and during the classical conditioning of the eyelid response. Blinks were evoked by air puffs, flashes and electrical stimulation of the supraorbitary branch of the trigeminal nerve. Eyelid responses were conditioned with a trace classical conditioning paradigm consisting of a short, weak air puff, followed 250 ms later by a long, strong air puff. Orbicularis oculi muscle activation during reflex blinks was independent of lid position and was not modified by the presence of weights acting in the upward or downward directions. Local anesthesia of the supraorbital nerve reduced blinks evoked by air puffs applied to the lower jaw, but did not affect flash-evoked blinks. No relationship was established between initial lid position and the first downward component of conditioned eyelid responses. In contrast, initial lid position was related to the first upward component of the same conditioned response.
It is concluded that orbicularis oculi motor units receive no feedback proprioceptive signals from the eyelid, other than those coming from cutaneous receptors, and that lid position is determined by the activity of the levator palpebrae superioris muscle. The lack of sensory information about lid position in facial motoneurons probably has some functional implications on the central control of cognitive and emotional facial expressions.
End plate spikes in the human electromyogram. Revision of the fusimotor theory
1999, Journal of Physiology Paris
‘End plate spike’ (EPS) is a spontaneous action potential of a normal striated muscle. EPSs are found in local ‘active spots’ of the muscle. The prevailing hypothesis about the origin of EPSs states that when a needle electrode affects a motor nerve branch near the neuromuscular junction at the end plate zone, an increased leakage of acetylcholine to the synaptic cleft ensues. This elicits postsynaptic action potentials of the muscle fibre which can be recorded as EPSs with the same needle electrode. Thus EPSs are thought to be caused by needle injury or irritation of the motor axon. We suggest that EPSs are action potentials of intrafusal muscle fibres and that ‘active spots’ are in fact muscle spindles. Waveform analysis reveals three types of EPSs: small EPSs, not propagated outside the active spot either: i) with negative onset; or ii) with short positive initial deflection; and iii) large EPSs resembling propagated motor unit potentials (MUPs) but with a typical EPS firing pattern, distinctly different from that of the MUPs. Study of EPS activation in different manoeuvres associates small EPSs with intrafusal gamma motor units and large MUP-like EPSs with beta motor units.

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Histochemical characteristics of human mimic muscles

Abstract

J. Neurol. Sci.

J. Neurol. Sci.

J. Neurol. Sci.

Trends Neurosci.

Surgical anatomy of the extraparotid distribution of the facial nerve

Arch. Otolaryngol.

Differentiation of muscle fibre types in aneurogenic brachial muscles of the chick

J. exp. Zool.

Muscle Biopsy: A Practical Approach

The reliability of histochemical fibre typing of human necropsy muscles

Histochemistry

Cross-face grafting in facial paralysis

Arch. Otolaryngol.