Cortical Representation of the Orbicularis Oculi Muscle as Assessed by Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

Abstract

A statistically significant separation of the cortical representation areas of forehead, orbicularis oris, and lower-lip mimetic muscles is possible by focal cortical TMS reflecting a kind of somatotopic organization of the face-associated motorcortex. Compared with the results on lower-lip and forehead muscles, orbicularis oculi muscle responses show characteristics of both.