Abstract

Because of limited understanding and the significant clinical relevance of the relationship between pain and motor function in general, and specifically the extent to which oral, face and neck pain affect mandibular function, studies are proposed to employ a randomized, repeated measures cross-over design (before pain, pain, pain control, after pain) to investigate, on an intra-individual level, the effect of experimentally induced and maintained pain on jaw motor function in normal subjects. The applicant will study (1) the mandibular range of motion, (2) the generation of bite force, (3) dental occlusion, (4) mandibular open-close movements, and (5) swallowing, with pain being induced by the infusion of an algesic substance (5% saline) into a) muscles of mastication, b) neck muscles, c) the facial skin, and d) the retromolar mucosa. Infusion of a non-algesic substance (0.9% saline) at a rate equal to the algesic substance will be used as control. Jaw tracking, bite force registration, surface electromyography, motor unit recording, and the assessment of the dental occlusion will be performed to test specific hypotheses about the effect of pain. Electrophysiological experiments in animals have shown that afferent input from different tissues, including nociception, converge even at the first relay. Therefore, it is hypothesized that pain, irrespective of its origin (masticatory muscles, neck muscles, intraoral mucosa, facial skin) causes significant changes in mandibular function. Additional experiments will examine the extent to which masseter pain of increasing intensity and duration affect the mandibular range of motion, and the extent to which range of motion changes following the application of a vapocoolant to the facial skin. These studies address scientifically and clinically important issues, such as whether differences exist between pain originating in the facial skin, masticatory muscles, neck muscles and the oral mucosa as far as the effect on mandibular function is concerned.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DE008606-09
Application #
2683986
Study Section
Oral Biology and Medicine Subcommittee 1 (OBM)
Project Start
1988-12-01
Project End
2000-03-31
Budget Start
1998-04-01
Budget End
1999-03-31
Support Year
9
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Dentistry
DUNS #
791277940
City
Ann Arbor
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48109

  Publications

Stohler, C S (1999) Craniofacial pain and motor function: pathogenesis, clinical correlates, and implications. Crit Rev Oral Biol Med 10:504-18
Turp, J C; Kowalski, C J; Stohler, C S (1998) Treatment-seeking patterns of facial pain patients: many possibilities, limited satisfaction. J Orofac Pain 12:61-6
Turp, J C; Kowalski, C J; O'Leary, N et al. (1998) Pain maps from facial pain patients indicate a broad pain geography. J Dent Res 77:1465-72
Turp, J C; Kowalski, C J; Stohler, C S (1997) Pain descriptors characteristic of persistent facial pain. J Orofac Pain 11:285-90
Turp, J C; Kowalski, C J; Stohler, C S (1997) Temporomandibular disorders--pain outside the head and face is rarely acknowledged in the chief complaint. J Prosthet Dent 78:592-5
Obrez, A; Stohler, C S (1996) Jaw muscle pain and its effect on gothic arch tracings. J Prosthet Dent 75:393-8
Stohler, C S; Zhang, X; Lund, J P (1996) The effect of experimental jaw muscle pain on postural muscle activity. Pain 66:215-21
Zhang, X; Ashton-Miller, J A; Stohler, C S (1995) Three-dimensional unilateral method for the bilateral measurement of condylar movements. J Biomech 28:1007-11
Zhang, X; Ashton-Miller, J A; Stohler, C S (1993) A closed-loop system for maintaining constant experimental muscle pain in man. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 40:344-52
Veerasarn, P; Stohler, C S (1992) The effect of experimental muscle pain on the background electrical brain activity. Pain 49:349-60

Showing the most recent 10 out of 14 publications