{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,4]],"date-time":"2026-08-04T17:51:42Z","timestamp":1785865902527,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":20,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,5]],"date-time":"2022-01-05T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1641340800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"The study was sponsored by MED-EL Elektromedizinische Ger\u00e4te GmbH, Innsbruck, Austria.","award":["W5036"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["W5036"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>There are currently no data on the electromyography (EMG) of all intrinsic and extrinsic ear muscles. The aim of this work was to develop a standardized protocol for a reliable surface EMG examination of all nine ear muscles in twelve healthy participants. The protocol was then applied in seven patients with unilateral postparalytic facial synkinesis. Based on anatomic preparations of all ear muscles on two cadavers, hot spots for the needle EMG of each individual muscle were defined. Needle and surface EMG were performed in one healthy participant; facial movements could be defined for the reliable activation of individual ear muscles\u2019 surface EMG. In healthy participants, most tasks led to the activation of several ear muscles without any side difference. The greatest EMG activity was seen when smiling. Ipsilateral and contralateral gaze were the only movements resulting in very distinct activation of the transversus auriculae and obliquus auriculae muscles. In patients with facial synkinesis, ear muscles\u2019 EMG activation was stronger on the postparalytic compared to the contralateral side for most tasks. Additionally, synkinetic activation was verifiable in the ear muscles. The surface EMG of all ear muscles is reliably feasible during distinct facial tasks, and ear muscle EMG enriches facial electrodiagnostics.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics12010121","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,5]],"date-time":"2022-01-05T20:42:16Z","timestamp":1641415336000},"page":"121","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":9,"title":["Electromyography of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Ear Muscles in Healthy Probands and Patients with Unilateral Postparalytic Facial Synkinesis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Hanna","family":"R\u00fcschenschmidt","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1245-6331","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gerd Fabian","family":"Volk","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"},{"name":"Facial Nerve Center, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"},{"name":"Center for Rare Diseases, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Christoph","family":"Anders","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division for Motor Research, Pathophysiology and Biomechanics, Department for Trauma-, Hand- and Reconstructive Surgery, Jena University Hospital, 07743 Jena, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9671-0784","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Orlando","family":"Guntinas-Lichius","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"},{"name":"Facial Nerve Center, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"},{"name":"Center for Rare Diseases, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,5]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Paulsen, F., and Waschke, J. 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IEEE Eng. Med. Biol. Soc."}],"container-title":["Diagnostics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/12\/1\/121\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,13]],"date-time":"2025-10-13T14:12:55Z","timestamp":1760364775000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-4418\/12\/1\/121"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,5]]},"references-count":20,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,1]]}},"alternative-id":["diagnostics12010121"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/diagnostics12010121","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-4418"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-4418","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,1,5]]}}}