Eye Movements In Relation To Rhythmic Masticatory Muscle Activities In Patients With Sleep Bruxism

Objectives:To characterize eye movements during rhythmic masticatory muscle activities(RMMAs)in patients with sleep bruxism(SB).Material and methods:Polysomnographic(PSG)recordings were performed on SB patients and normal controls during sleep(n=8 for each group)and wakefulness(n=9 for each group).The eye movements associated with episodes of RMMAs/SB during sleep and jaw movements during wakefulness were analyzed.Results:During sleep,all episodes of RMMAs/SB in the SB patients and controls were associated with eye movements and most of the RMMAs/SB related slow eye movements(SB patients: 96.29%,1583/1644;Controls: 97.49%,543/557)were horizontal in the SB patients and controls.During wakefulness,all of the series of jaw movements were associated with eye movements,and most of cycles of jaw movements(SB patients: 88.89%,200/225;Controls: 95.11%,214/225)were associated with slow eye movements and most of the eye movements(SB patients:52.50%,105/200;Controls: 61.21%,131/214)were vertical.There were significant correlations between the durations of episodes of eye movements and RMMAs/SB during sleep and between the duration of episodes of eye movements and duration of series of jaw movements during wakefulness in the SB patients and controls.Conclusions:Most of RMMAs/SB episodes during sleep and jaw movements during wakefulness are associated with eye movements in the SB patients and controls.