The human body has several muscles that are solely responsible for downward movement. They are all close to each other and play a very important role in the life of each of us.
The musculature of our body is unique. It has been forming over millennia and reflects the specifics of us as a biological species. A number of parts of the organism have analogs in living nature, and it is interesting to observe them from the point of view of comparative physiology. However, humans also have unique adaptations.
general description
There are very few muscles sharpened for one specific movement in our body. There are three of those that work exclusively for lowering, and they are all located in the area of the face. The most original of these is the muscle that lowers the lower lip. It is attached to the lower jaw and runs from the chin opening to the lower lip. This organ is paired.
In addition to the muscle that lowers the corners of the mouth, there are those that lower the eyebrows and the septum of the nose. The movements of the latter are difficult to notice. They are performed at the moment when a person diligently draws in air with his nostrils. If there is a desire to contribute to the creation of hypotheses about the future of mankind, then it can be assumed that, if necessary, this muscle will become the basis for the formation of the trunk. The scientific component of such a forecast is extremely small, because our species adapts to the environment by means of its change, and there is a trunk in those representatives of the fauna that do not have limbs capable of grasping objects.
Purpose
Everything is clear with the muscle in the nose, but the movements of the corners of the mouth and eyebrows are not explained by pragmatic physiological reasons. They do not participate in the chewing process, do not improve the characteristics of the organs of touch, which are located on the face. Their existence is justified exclusively by the social nature of man.
People in the wild are able to survive as a collective. To coordinate your actions in the process of completing a complex task, you need to exchange information. Speech did not arise in primates immediately, and it cannot fully ensure the communication of a family living in the bosom of nature. Even modern hunter-gatherer tribes use non-verbal communication methods. During the hunt, they avoid sounds that will allow their prey to detect a two-legged predator. Hunters talk either with a whistle, like a bird, or with facial expressions and gestures.
Study
Painters and sculptors have always been interested in facial expressions. One of the first to give a detailed description of the facial muscles was the famous Leonard da Vinci. He dissected dead bodies and invited old people to pose in his workshop, on whose appearance often repeated movements left an imprint in the form of facial folds. For a long time, doctors treated the muscles of the head in a utilitarian manner, not paying special attention to the little things in the form of the muscles responsible for lowering the corners of the lips or eyebrows.
In the early 20th century, scholars opposed Nazi and racist theories. To prove that skin color does not matter, representatives of different races and ethnic groups were asked to describe the emotions captured in the photograph. All test subjects accurately guessed the mood of the model. After pundits gave an explanation of the subject of research, practicing doctors had to work with facial muscles. During the First World War, surgeons were urgently needed to restore the appearance of the wounded with facial injuries.
Cosmetic problems
As soon as wrinkles appear on the face, the search for the causes of their occurrence begins. There are originals who find them in a state of musculature. According to their version, with age, small muscles lose their tone, which is reflected in the appearance of completely unnecessary folds. The drooping ends of the mouth, of course, can be attributed to the deterioration of a known muscle.
Such statements indicate the lack of medical education in their authors. The drooping muscle can give an unpleasant expression to the appearance by straining. If she has grown decrepit, then her lips will remain in place. But from excessive love for the mimic accompaniment of emotional stories of annoyance and disgust, folds on the skin may appear. Also, a disorder in the area of the nasolabial triangle will be in those who do not monitor the health of their teeth, have an incomplete dentition - thin muscle tissue has nothing to rely on if there are no teeth.
Facial folds appear in those who like to keep one expression on their face for a long time, to make the same type of grimace. Age wrinkles appear due to improper skin care and thinning of the subcutaneous fat. The latter also threatens young people, who often follow strict diets.
Physiological disorders
If in oral folk art there is only a certain senile atrophy of the muscles, which also makes the muscle that lowers the corner of the mouth work for wear, then in reality it can stop functioning, or make mistakes in reflecting emotions, facial expressions can be due to damage to tissues and entire body systems. As a rule, the illness affecting the appearance is severe. These include:
- brain damage;
- problems with nerve endings;
- suffered injuries;
- tissue damage by infections.
Preventive measures for all described ailments exist. To avoid them, you need to take care of the health of the blood vessels, do not postpone visits to the doctor, if the state of health has deteriorated, take care of your teeth and oral cavity.
