NEI Workshop on Craniofacial Muscle Specialization and Dystrophic Disease

On March 7-8, 2001, the National Eye Institute hosted a workshop on Craniofacial Muscle Specialization and Disease, bringing together scientific and clinical experts from the U.S. and Europe. The group explored the unique characteristics of extraocular and other craniofacial muscles that render these tissues selectively vulnerable or resistant to disease. The workshop was timely, given recent scientific progress identifying regulatory factors for the activation of myogenesis in different muscle classes and new concepts for orbital anatomy and ocular motor physiology. Recent advances in noninvasive imaging technology have also had an impact on research on craniofacial muscle. The goal of the workshop was to begin to characterize the common features of three unique muscle types -- extraocular, laryngeal and mandibular -- to build a framework for future directions in this important area of research.

Leaders at the conference discussed craniofacial muscle embryology and developmental regulation, the intersection of structure with function for craniofacial muscle motor output, and the known biochemistry and pharmacology of these unique muscle classes. Craniofacial- selective or craniofacial-resistant muscle disorders, including Myasthenia Gravis, Congenital Fibrosis syndromes or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, respectively were discussed as models for understanding the underlying pathology of unique muscle types by comparison to other, more common, muscular dystrophies. The conference concluded with a discussion of research needs in the area of craniofacial muscle biology and disease:

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Delineate the basic anatomy and ontogeny of the extraocular and craniofacial muscles.
2. Promote research identifying aging-related changes in the structure and function of extraocular and craniofacial muscles.
3. Determine the role of afferent feedback on normal muscle function.
4. Develop and apply new research strategies and technology to the examination of craniofacial muscle biology. Molecular genetic approaches to muscle development and regeneration, the application of magnetic resonance imaging technology to visualize intact muscle, and gene replacement strategies to strengthen muscle are examples of important tools useful to advance the study of normal and diseased craniofacial muscle.
5. Encourage collaborative research across scientific disciplines to provide new insights and knowledge on the functional biology of extraocular and craniofacial muscle systems and the pathogenesis of craniofacial-selective and craniofacial-resistant diseases.