Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 160, Number 6, December 1999, 1976-1982

Response of Human Tongue Protrudor and Retractors to Hypoxia and Hypercapnia

JASON H. MATEIKA, DANIEL L. MILLROOD, JAEHEE KIM, HECTOR P. RODRIGUEZ, and GHASSAN J. SAMARA

Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University; and Departments of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, New York

It is well established that the genioglossus muscle (tongue protrudor) has a role in protecting or enhancing upper airway patency in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. However, no investigation completed to date has addressed the role of the styloglossus and hyoglossus muscles (tongue retractors) in maintaining upper airway patency in humans. As a first step toward this goal, the present investigation was designed to examine the response of human tongue protrudor and retractor muscles during a breathhold maneuver and in steady-state hypoxic hypercapnia. The results showed that the protrudor and retractor muscles were coactivated under both conditions. Measurements of onset time of electromyographic activity during steady-state hypoxic hypercapnia revealed that phasic protrudor and retractor activity was initiated immediately before or during the early part of inspiration. We conclude that the tongue protrudor and retractor muscles are coactivated in response to hypoxia and hypercapnia, and that the tongue retractors may have a significant role in protecting upper airway patency during both apnea and hyperpnea. Mateika JH, Millrood DL, Kim J, Rodriguez HP, Samara GJ. Response of human tongue protrudor and retractors to hypoxia and hypercapnia.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. J. Pittman and E. F. Bailey Genioglossus and Intrinsic Electromyographic Activities in Impeded and Unimpeded Protrusion Tasks J Neurophysiol, January 1, 2009; 101(1): 276 - 282. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. F. Fregosi Influence of tongue muscle contraction and dynamic airway pressure on velopharyngeal volume in the rat J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2008; 104(3): 682 - 693. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K.-Z. Lee, D. D. Fuller, I-J. Lu, J.-T. Lin, and J.-C. Hwang Neural drive to tongue protrudor and retractor muscles following pulmonary C-fiber activation J Appl Physiol, January 1, 2007; 102(1): 434 - 444. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. John, E. F. Bailey, and R. F. Fregosi Respiratory-related Discharge of Genioglossus Muscle Motor Units Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., November 15, 2005; 172(10): 1331 - 1337. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y. Huang, A. Malhotra, and D. P. White Computational simulation of human upper airway collapse using a pressure-/state-dependent model of genioglossal muscle contraction under laminar flow conditions J Appl Physiol, September 1, 2005; 99(3): 1138 - 1148. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. F. Bailey, P. L. Janssen, and R. F. Fregosi PO2-dependent Changes in Intrinsic and Extrinsic Tongue Muscle Activities in the Rat Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2005; 171(12): 1403 - 1407. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. D. Fuller Episodic hypoxia induces long-term facilitation of neural drive to tongue protrudor and retractor muscles J Appl Physiol, May 1, 2005; 98(5): 1761 - 1767. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. F. Bailey and R. F. Fregosi Coordination of intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles during spontaneous breathing in the rat J Appl Physiol, February 1, 2004; 96(2): 440 - 449. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. D. Fuller and R. F. Fregosi Fatiguing contractions of tongue protrudor and retractor muscles: influence of systemic hypoxia J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2000; 88(6): 2123 - 2130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]