Abstract
MT of normal adults and a patient with typical peripheral facial palsy (Bell's palsy) were recorded synchronous with the EKG, EMG, heart beat and EEG. Bio-information processing methods of correlation and frequency analysis were applied to the MT and EEG and the following findings were observed.
1. The autocorrelogram of MT in the resting state showed, two groups of main vibrations, each of which was intimately correlated with the first and second heart beat (or R spike and T wave in EKG) respectively. They were more distinct in the crosscorrelograms of the heart beat or EKG and the MT. Both of these vibrations which followed the R spike (the first heart beat) and T wave (the second heart beat) were superimposed to cause a beat phenomenon in the autocorrelogram and crosscorrelogram. In the frequency spectra of the autocorrelograms of MT except those led from the forehead, dominant peaks were seen with a broader frequency range (7-15c/sec) than that of alpha wave (8-13c/sec) in EEG. The main vibration of MT in forehead, however, was verified to have a frequency lower than8c/sec.
2. By deprivation of arterial pulsation, each of the dominant peaks in the frequency spectrum of the MT from the thenar did not shift in their frequency but only changed their height. In the MT ink record itself, two main vibrations synchronous to the heart beat were also observed. This finding suggests that the MT may be irrelevant to pulsation, but related to heart beat.
3. In a patient with unilateral palsy of the peripheral facial nerve (typical Bell's palsy), the amplitude and frequency of MT in the paralysed side were lower than those in normal side only in the resting state but also during voluntarily active state.
4. Under lumbar anesthesia, depression of MT vibration was observed, but vibrations correspondent to the R spike in EKG was sustained. Depression of MT due to lumbar anesthesia suggests the existence of neuromuscular MT components other than that of cardiac beat.
