Electromyographic analysis of the superior belly of the omohyoid muscle and anterior belly of the digastric muscle in tongue and head movements

The participation of the superior belly of the omohyoid muscle and anterior belly of the digastric muscle in tongue and head movements was studied ele tromyographically in 20 normal young volunteers. A pair of monopolar electr odes was used in each muscle for simultaneous recording of their actions. T he muscles act in the following tongue movements: protrusion, right and lef t lateral movements, placement of the tip of the tongue on soft and hard pa lates and on the floor of the mouth. The strongest levels of activity of th e superior belly of the omohyoid muscle were observed in the placement of t he tip of the tongue on the soft palate, coincidentally with a greater disl ocation of hyoid bone. Both of the muscles studied did not participate in t he head's kinesiology. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.