title: Model based sensitivity analysis of EMG-force relation with respect to motor unit properties: applications to muscle paresis in stroke.
abstract: The sensitivity of the electromyogram (EMG)-force relation to changes in motoneuron and muscle properties was explored using a simulation approach, and by applying existing motoneuron pool, muscle force, and surface EMG models. The simulation results indicate that several factors contribute potently to known changes in the EMG-force relation in paretic stroke muscles. First, compression of the motor unit recruitment range with respect to the injected current tends to generate greater EMG amplitude at a given force, and to produce a highly nonlinear EMG-force relation. The overall mean slope of the EMG-force relation tends to be flatter, primarily because of this non-linear behavior. Second, with reductions of the mean motor unit firing rates, the slope of the EMG-force relation also tends to increase especially as the mean firing rates dropped substantially below the motor unit fusion frequency. Finally, similar effects were observed with a reduction in the number of motor units, and with variation in motor unit contractile properties, which also altered the EMG-force relation. These findings provide new insight toward our understanding of experimental EMG-force relations in both normal and pathological states, such as the abnormal EMG-force relations of paresis muscles in stroke.
authors.affiliation: Sensory Motor Performance Program, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA. p-zhou@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Nina L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: William Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Rymer
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D020521:Stroke / Q000503:physiopathology*