EMG filling analysis, a new method for the assessment of recruitment of motor units with needle EMG
Objectives: The progression of recruitment of motor unit potentials (MUPs) during increasing voluntary contraction can provide important information about the motor units (MUs) innervating a muscle. Here, we described a method to quantitate the recruitment level of the intramuscular electromyographi...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad San Jorge (USJ) |
| Repositorio: | Academica-e. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Pública de Navarra |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:academica-e.unavarra.es:2454/54030 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2454/54030 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Intramuscular EMG Filling factor EMG filling Interference pattern Concentric needle Probability Density Function (PDF) |
| Sumario: | Objectives: The progression of recruitment of motor unit potentials (MUPs) during increasing voluntary contraction can provide important information about the motor units (MUs) innervating a muscle. Here, we described a method to quantitate the recruitment level of the intramuscular electromyographic (iEMG) signal during an increasing force level. Methods: Concentric needle EMG signals were recorded from the tibialis anterior of healthy subjects as force was gradually increased from 0 to maximum force. The iEMG filling process was analyzed by measuring the EMG filling factor (FF), calculated from the mean rectified iEMG and the root mean square iEMG. Results: (1) The iEMG activity at low contraction forces was “discrete” (FF<0.3) for all participants. (2) The iEMG activity at maximal effort was “full” (FF>0.5) for 83 % of the participants, whereas it was “incompletely-reduced” (0.3<FF< 0.5) for 17 % of the participants. (3) The FF increased rapidly for forces up to 20 % MVC, and then levelled off for higher forces: thus, the FF curve had a typical exponential shape. Conclusions: The iEMG filling method can be considered of general applicability since the FF increased over a wide range in all healthy participants. Significance: The EMG filling analysis may have potential to detect scenarios of MU loss and remodelling in neurogenic and motor neuron diseases. |
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