Journal of Applied Physiology Fuel your research with LabChart
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
 QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     


J Appl Physiol (January 5, 2006). doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01282.2005
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
100/6/1928    most recent
01282.2005v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Keenan, K. G.
Right arrow Articles by Enoka, R. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Keenan, K. G.
Right arrow Articles by Enoka, R. M.
Submitted on October 5, 2005
Accepted on January 3, 2006

AMPLITUDE CANCELLATION REDUCES THE SIZE OF MOTOR UNIT POTENTIALS AVERAGED FROM THE SURFACE EMG

Kevin G. Keenan1*, Dario Farina2, Roberto Merletti3, and Roger M. Enoka1

1 Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
2 Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
3 Dipartimento di Elettronica, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: kk375{at}cornell.edu.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of selected physiological parameters on amplitude cancellation in the simulated surface EMG and the consequences for spike-triggered averages of motor unit potentials derived from the interference and rectified EMG signals. The surface EMG was simulated from prescribed recruitment and rate coding characteristics of a motor unit population. The potentials of the motor units were detected on the skin over a hand muscle with a bipolar electrode configuration. Averages derived from the EMG signal were generated using the discharge times for each of the 24 motor units with lowest recruitment thresholds from a population of 120 across three conditions: 1) excitation level; 2) motor unit conduction velocity; and 3) motor unit synchronization. The area of the surface-detected potential was compared with potentials averaged from the interference, rectified, and no-cancellation EMGs. The no-cancellation EMG comprised motor unit potentials that were rectified before they were summed, thereby preventing cancellation between the opposite phases of the potentials. The percent decrease in area of potentials extracted from the rectified EMG was linearly related to the amount of amplitude cancellation in the interference EMG signal, with the amount of cancellation influenced by variation in excitation level and motor unit conduction velocity. Motor unit synchronization increased potentials derived from both the rectified and interference EMG signals, although cancellation limited the increase in area for both potentials. These findings document the influence of amplitude cancellation on motor unit potentials averaged from the surface EMG and the consequences for using the procedure to characterize motor unit properties.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
J. Neurophysiol.Home page
D. Farina, C. Cescon, F. Negro, and R. M. Enoka
Amplitude Cancellation of Motor-Unit Action Potentials in the Surface Electromyogram Can Be Estimated With Spike-Triggered Averaging
J Neurophysiol, July 1, 2008; 100(1): 431 - 440.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurophysiol.Home page
M. Klass, M. Levenez, R. M. Enoka, and J. Duchateau
Spinal Mechanisms Contribute to Differences in the Time to Failure of Submaximal Fatiguing Contractions Performed With Different Loads
J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2008; 99(3): 1096 - 1104.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurophysiol.Home page
W. Taube, C. Leukel, M. Schubert, M. Gruber, T. Rantalainen, and A. Gollhofer
Differential Modulation of Spinal and Corticospinal Excitability During Drop Jumps
J Neurophysiol, March 1, 2008; 99(3): 1243 - 1252.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurophysiol.Home page
T. J. Dartnall, M. A. Nordstrom, and J. G. Semmler
Motor Unit Synchronization Is Increased in Biceps Brachii After Exercise-Induced Damage to Elbow Flexor Muscles
J Neurophysiol, February 1, 2008; 99(2): 1008 - 1019.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Physiol.Home page
J. P. Saboisky, J. E. Butler, D. K. McKenzie, R. B. Gorman, J. A. Trinder, D. P. White, and S. C. Gandevia
Neural drive to human genioglossus in obstructive sleep apnoea
J. Physiol., November 15, 2007; 585(1): 135 - 146.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Neurophysiol.Home page
K. G. Keenan and F. J. Valero-Cuevas
Experimentally Valid Predictions of Muscle Force and EMG in Models of Motor-Unit Function Are Most Sensitive to Neural Properties
J Neurophysiol, September 1, 2007; 98(3): 1581 - 1590.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Visit Other APS Journals Online
Copyright © 1948 by the American Physiological Society.