Improved motor unit number estimate when motor unit alternation is addressed

Journal of Applied Physiology
Bradley A DeForestChristine K Thomas

Abstract

Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) is important for determining motoneuron survival with age or in conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or spinal cord injury. The original incremental method and approaches that were introduced to minimize alternation (e.g., multiple-point stimulation) are most commonly used, but one must accept the limitation that alternation of motor units may still inflate the estimate. Alternation occurs because axon thresholds are probabilistic and overlap for different axons; therefore, different combination of motor units may respond at a given stimulus intensity. Our aims were to quantify motor unit alternation systematically in the thenar muscles of 35 healthy adults by digital subtraction of EMG and force, and to compare MUNE with and without alternation. Alternation was prevalent, with one to nine occurrences in the first 7 to 11 steps in EMG in 34 of 35 muscles. It occurred in the first 3 steps in EMG in 49% of muscles. This alternation resulted in fewer units than steps in EMG (3 to 10 units at step 7 to 11). Accounting for alternation using digital subtraction reduced MUNE by up to 50%, day-to-day, and between-participant variability in MUNE. These results highlight the need to quantif...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1975·Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology·R G LeeA J Aguayo
Mar 1, 1976·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·W F Brown, H S Milner-Brown
Mar 1, 1976·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·H S Milner-Brown, W F Brown
Nov 1, 1991·Muscle & Nerve·V GaleaA J McComas
Oct 1, 1990·Annals of Neurology·R B Stein, J F Yang
Oct 1, 1990·Annals of Neurology·J F YangT Gordon
Apr 1, 1973·The Journal of Physiology·H S Milner-BrownR Yemm
Jan 1, 1974·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·R E SicaD Longmire
Aug 1, 1974·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·T E Feasby, W F Brown
Apr 1, 1971·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·A J McComasR E Sica
Nov 1, 1995·Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society·J R Daube
Aug 1, 1997·Brain : a Journal of Neurology·A J McComasR C Griggs
May 30, 2001·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·J M Shefner
Nov 4, 2005·Journal of Neurophysiology·C K ThomasB Bigland-Ritchie
Jan 31, 2006·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Shaun G BoeTimothy J Doherty
Dec 13, 2006·Biometrics·P Gareth RidallPamela A McCombe
Nov 27, 2007·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·Johannes P van DijkDick F Stegeman
May 8, 2010·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·J H BlokD F Stegeman
Jun 29, 2016·Journal of Neurotrauma·Robert M Grumbles, Christine K Thomas

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 5, 2019·Frontiers in Neurology·Didu S T KariyawasamMichelle A Farrar
Oct 29, 2021·Journal of Applied Physiology·Jacques Duchateau, Roger M Enoka

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

MATLAB
Spike2
SPSS
MUNE

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Amyloid Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive nervous system disease associated with the death of neurons that control voluntary muscles. Discover the latest research on ALS here.

Related Papers

Beijing da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Peking University. Health sciences
Xiao Xuan LiuShuo Zhang
Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology
Y AoyagiK Ming Chan
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved