The relationship between the surface electromyogram (SEMG) and force was examined during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Isometric MVC of elbow flexors were studied in 18 subjects who performed 27 trials, each consisting of six MVCs lasting 45 s at intervals of 30 s. There was a decrease in the median frequency (Fm) of the SEMG and of the compound action potentials (CAP) during MVC. The CAPs demonstrated that the fall in Fm was associated with a proportional increase in signal power, whereas CAP amplitude did not decrease, indicating intact neuromuscular transmission. The SEMG root-mean-square amplitude remained fairly constant, progressively deviating from force with time of contraction (r = 0.40). When SEMG amplitude was corrected for the Fm change, it tracked force more closely (r = 0.68), indicating a fall in motoneuron drive during MVC. The corrected SEMG was used to calculate the change in the generalized firing rate of motoneurons. The firing rate decreased 60% in the first and sixth contractions, tracked force closely, and corresponded to the firing rate fall seen in late adaptation of motoneurons (r = 0.90, P less than 0.001).

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1984

On surface EMG spectral characterization and its application to diagnostic classification.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Electromyography↗

PubMed1984

Strength and cycle time of high-altitude ventilatory patterns in unacclimatized humans.

Respiration was monitored with magnetometers in 12 healthy supine young adults at sea level and in an altitude chamber at simulated high altitudes of 8,000, 9,000, 11,000, and 14,000 ft. Periodic breathing that was strong enough to include apnea at the time of minimum ventilation was seen in all subjects at high altitude. Cycle time of periodic breathing ranged from 12 to 34 s. On average across the population the incidence of periodic breathing increased with altitude. Cycle time of the periodic pattern increased as strength of the pattern increased. After normalizing to a standard pattern strength, cycle time decreased as altitude increased. The study included two series of experiments, the second occurring 3 wk after the first and involving seven of the same subjects. The standard cycle time at 14,000 ft for each subject in the second series was the same as in the first series to within, on the average, 6%. Each subject studied at 11,000 ft in both series reproduced his cycle time to within, on the average, 9%. The variation of standard cycle time for a given subject is less than the variation across the population, indicating characteristic cycle times for some individuals (one-way analysis of variance, P less than 0.025).

Acclimatization↗

PubMed1983

Physiological evidence for central modulation of voice tremor.

The present report presents an attempt to define the physiological parameter used to describe "voice tremor" in psychological stress evaluating machines, and to find its sources. This parameter was found to be a low frequency (5-20 Hz) random process which frequency modulates the vocal cord waveform and (independently) affects the frequency range of the third speech formant. The frequency variations in unstressed speakers were found to be the result of forced muscular undulations driven by central nervous signals and not of a passive resonant phenomenon. In this paper various physiological and clinical experiments which lead to the above conclusions are discussed. a) It is shown that induced muscular activity in the vocal tract and vocal cord regions can generate tremor in the voice. b) It is shown that relaxed subjects exhibit significant tremor correlation between spontaneously generated speech and EMG, with the EMG leading the speech tremor. c) Tremor in the electrical activity recorded from muscles overlapping vocal tract area was correlated with third formant demodulated signal and vocal cord demodulated pitch tremor was correlated with first formant demodulated tremor. d) Enhanced tremor was found in Parkinson patients and diminished tremor in patients with some traumatic brain injuries.

Electromyography↗

PubMed1983

Effects of muscle model parameter dispersion and multi-loop segmental interaction on the neuromuscular system performance.

The effects of parameter dispersion among motor units on the neuromuscular system performance as well as interaction between muscle segments and spinal cord mechanisms are investigated. Elementary components of the system are modeled to simulate with simple models their input-output characteristics. A leaky SS-IPFM encoder with a time-dependent threshold simulates the motor-neuron encoding characteristics. An amplitude and time dependent nonlinear model represent the motor unit mechanical output to neuronal input relationship. The dispersion of parameters in the components of the whole muscle control model is investigated in the open loop mode. It is shown that the dispersion of parameters in the multi-efferent channels converging on a common tendon provides a spatial filtration generating a smoother muscle force in addition to extending the linear dynamic range compared to a similar system having identical motor units. Muscle segmental interaction is investigated in this distributed model by closing the loop through a coupling matrix, representing afferent-motorneuron interaction on the spinal cord level. A diagonal matrix represents no segmental interaction and a uniform matrix represents a uniform interaction between segments through the muscle spindles and Golgi tendon feedback elements. The close loop simulation studied shows that (a). The type of segmental interaction has little effect on the overall system performance, i.e., range of linerity and stability, which is the result of having a muscle system with a large number of motor units. (b) There are only minor differences in results between the uniform and normal parameter distributions tested. (c) A loop gain of 4 divided by 8 in the distributed model can provide linearity through the full physiological force range. (d) Type of segmental interaction has significant effects on the individual segment. A uniform matrix provides a more stable segment due to the spatial filtration resulting from the segmental interaction, while the diagonal noninteracting matrix shows instabilities on the local segmental level despite global stability. The more realistic exponentially decaying spatial interaction matrix yields both global neuromuscular and local segmental stability with the same linear dynamic range generated with the uniform or diagonal matrices.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Diaphragm electrical activity during negative lower torso pressure in quadriplegic men.

We recorded the diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) of quadriplegic men before and during exposure of the lower torso to continuous negative pressure, which caused shortening of the inspiratory muscles by expanding the respiratory system by one tidal volume. The moving-time-averaged diaphragm EMG was larger during expansion of the respiratory system. When we repeated the experiment with subjects who breathed through a mouthpiece, we found qualitatively similar EMG changes and little or no change in tidal volume or end-tidal CO2 partial pressure. When the pressure was applied or removed rapidly, changes in EMG occurred within one or two breaths. Because end-tidal CO2 partial pressure did not increase, and because the response was rapid, we suggest that the response results from proprioceptive, rather than chemoreceptive, reflexes. As most of these men had complete spinal lesions at C6 or C7 the afferent pathways are likely to be vagal or phrenic.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Physiological model analysis of involuntary human-voice tremor.

Frequency variations in the human voice result from voluntary and involuntary changes in the parameters of the vocal system. The present work deals with involuntary frequency perturbations from two theoretical aspects: 1) the influence of pitch period variations on frequency changes in the band-limited signal which results from the resonant characteristics of the vocal tract; 2) the physiological parameters of the vocal system which are potentially able to govern involuntary frequency changes. It is shown that the modulation function of the vocal-cord wave can theoretically be derived from its harmonics using FM demodulation techniques, and that higher distortion may appear at higher harmonics. It is also shown that involuntary geometirical changes of the vocal tract and its terminal impedance as well as tension and initial-area changes of the vocal cord--changes well within the physiological range--can influence frequency changes in the human voice. The present results are correlated with our reported experimental findings on involuntary voice tremor, used in psychological stress evaluation. The role of the central nervous system, and possible mechanisms for these phenomena, are discussed.

Humans↗

PubMed1978