Chronic stress and temporalis muscle activity in TMD patients and controls during sleep: a pilot study in females
Abstract
Objectives
The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between chronic stress and temporalis muscle activity during four nights.
Material and methods
Forty-four
female subjects were recruited in five dental practices located in
different areas of the federal state of Saarland, Germany (dental
practice network in Saarland). The following inclusion criteria were
used: female, aged between 18 and 65, no somatization or depression, and
no pain medication, graded chronic pain status < 3. Both subjects
reporting about sleep bruxism and subjects negating sleep bruxism during
anamnesis were included. Anamnestic issues, sleep bruxism, anxiety, and
chronic stress were assessed using validated questionnaires. Temporalis
muscle activity was measured for four nights using a portable
electromyographic device. Correlation coefficient was used to assess the
correlation (Spearman-correlation) between chronic stress and number of
temporalis muscle episodes/hour and between anxiety and the number of
episodes/hour.
Results
The
analysis showed that the factors “work overload” (adulthood chronic
stress because of too many demands at work) and “pressure to perform”
(necessity to be successful at work) were significantly correlated with
the number of temporalis muscle episodes per hour. In contrast, anxiety
was not correlated with temporalis muscle episodes per hour.
Conclusions
Work-related chronic stress seems to be associated with an increased level of temporalis muscle activity during sleep.
Clinical relevance
During anamnesis, work-related aspects should be assessed in females presenting with sleep-bruxism.
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