title: Power spectral analysis of the surface electromyogram during shivering.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to describe the frequency content of the electromyogram (EMG) recorded during shivering and determine if the EMG power spectrum changed as a function of the shivering duration. Six semi-nude males were exposed to cold air (5 degrees C, 20% rh) for 80 min while quietly sitting. Rectal (Tre) and mean skin (Tsk) temperatures were recorded. Shivering of the masseter muscle was determined using bipolar surface electrodes. The EMG was amplified, recorded, and subsequently digitized at 2048 Hz. The power spectrum was calculated from eight serial 0.25s EMG samples by Fourier analysis from a frequency of 4 through 480 Hz. The eight power spectra were averaged and centroid frequency (fc) calculated. During the first 10 min of exposure, Tsk rapidly dropped from 32.6 +/- 1.6 to 26.2 +/- 1.3 degrees C, then slowly declined reaching 22.5 +/- 0.7 degrees C after 80 min. Tre rose from 37.1 +/- 0.1 to 37.4 +/- 0.1 degrees C, declining after 40 min to 37.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C. Shivering was observed within 5 min after entering the cold chamber. EMG activity after 10 min exhibited an fc of 177.2 +/- 6.2 Hz. When power was integrated over 60 Hz bandwidths, the predominant frequency band of the EMG power spectrum was 60-120 Hz. Although shivering intensity increased with time, the EMG power spectrum exhibited no significant changes. These results suggest that the EMG power spectrum during shivering did not exhibit changes characteristic of muscle fatigue or muscle cooling during the 80-min cold air exposure.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001831:Body Temperature; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods; D005221:Fatigue / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D012768:Shivering; D012881:Skin Temperature