The bilateral response of the temporal muscle in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) to short-term detachment of the muscle and increased loading of the mandible.

The electromyographic background activity of the temporal muscle was observed after short-term detachment of the muscle and with increased loads on the mandible. Detachment of the muscle increased its mean spike discharge within the first 24 days but without significant changes in the spectral components. Loading the mandible decreased both the spike discharge and spectral components.