title: End-plate electromyography: use of spectral analysis of end-plate noise.
abstract: An automated technique for estimating the channel open time of human end-plate acetylcholine receptors (AChR) is described. The method, which is based on the power spectral analysis of electromyographic end-plate noise, is simple and permits a rapid estimation of the dominant AChR ion channel kinetics. Values of AChR channel open time determined by spectral analysis of end-plate noise in adults (1.23 +/- 0.01 ms at 33 degrees C) were consistently shorter than those estimated from the decay phase of extracellularly recorded miniature end-plate potentials. The channel open time extracted from the end-plate noise compared well with that derived from the analysis of in vitro recorded acetylcholine-induced current noise. Therefore, spectral analysis of end-plate noise may provide a good estimation of the kinetics of the human AChR ion channel. The technique is particularly useful in identifying congenital myasthenic syndromes with altered AChR ion channel function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, 95616-8603, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Maselli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009045:Motor Endplate / Q000502:physiology*; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009622:Noise; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic