Properties of Motor Units of Elbow and Ankle Muscles Decomposed Using High-Density Surface EMG

Altamash S. Hassan, Edward H. Kim, Obaid U. Khurram, Mark Cummings, Christopher K. Thompson, Laura Miller McPherson, C. J. Heckman, Julius P.A. Dewald, Francesco Negro

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Analyses of motor unit activity provide a window to the neural control of motor output. In recent years, considerable advancements in surface EMG decomposition methods have allowed for the discrimination of dozens of individual motor units across a range of muscle forces. While these non-invasive methods show great potential as an emerging technology, they have difficulty discriminating a representative sample of the motor pool. In the present study, we investigate the distribution of recruitment thresholds and motor unit action potential waveforms obtained from high density EMG across four muscles: soleus, tibialis anterior, biceps brachii, and triceps brachii. Ten young and healthy control subjects generated isometric torque ramps between 10-50% maximum voluntary torque during elbow or ankle flexion and extension. Hundreds of motor unit spike trains were decomposed for each muscle across all trials. For lower contraction levels and speeds, surface EMG decomposition discriminated a large number of low-threshold units. However, during contractions of greater speed and torque level the proportion of low threshold motor units decomposed was reduced, resulting in a relatively uniform distribution of recruitment thresholds. The number of motor units decomposed decreased as the contraction level and speed increased. The decomposed units showed a wide range of recruitment thresholds and motor unit action potential amplitudes. In conclusion, although surface EMG decomposition is a useful tool to study large populations of motor units, results of such methods should be interpreted in the context of limitations in sampling of the motor pool.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages3874-3878
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781538613115
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2019
Event41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019 - Berlin, Germany
Duration: Jul 23 2019Jul 27 2019

Publication series

NameProceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
ISSN (Print)1557-170X

Conference

Conference41st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBC 2019
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityBerlin
Period07/23/1907/27/19

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