scholarly journals Low-Frequency Oscillations (<0.3 Hz) in the Electromyographic (EMG) Activity of the Human Trapezius Muscle During Sleep

2002 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 1177-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. H. Westgaard ◽  
P. Bonato ◽  
K. A. Holte
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Activity Pattern ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Mean Amplitude ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Emg Signal ◽  
The Mean

The surface electromyographic (EMG) signal from right and left trapezius muscles and the heart rate were recorded over 24 h in 27 healthy female subjects. The root-mean-square (RMS) value of the surface EMG signals and the heartbeat interval time series were calculated with a time resolution of 0.2 s. The EMG activity during sleep showed long periods with stable mean amplitude, modulated by rhythmic components in the frequency range 0.05–0.2 Hz. The ratio between the amplitude of the oscillatory components and the mean amplitude of the EMG signal was approximately constant over the range within which the phenomenon was observed, corresponding to a peak-to-peak oscillatory amplitude of ∼10% of the mean amplitude. The duration of the periods with stable mean amplitude ranged from a few minutes to ∼1 h, usually interrupted by a sudden change in the activity level or by cessation of the muscle activity. Right and left trapezius muscles presented the same pattern of FM. In supplementary experiments, rhythmic muscle activity pattern was also demonstrated in the upper extremity muscles of deltoid, biceps, and forearm flexor muscles. There was no apparent association between the rhythmic components in the muscle activity pattern and the heart rate variability. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the above-described pattern of EMG activity during sleep is documented. On reanalysis of earlier recorded trapezius motor unit firing pattern in experiments on awake subjects in a situation with mental stress, low-FM of firing with similar frequency content was detected. Possible sources of rhythmic excitation of trapezius motoneurons include slow-wave cortical oscillations represented in descending cortico-spinal pathways, and/or activation by monoaminergic pathways originating in the brain stem reticular formation. The analysis of muscle activity patterns may provide an important new tool to study neural mechanisms in human sleep.

Psychophysiological Responses of Pilots in Hypoxia Training at 7000 and 7500 m

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 785-789
Author(s):  
Dongqing Wen ◽  
Lei Tu ◽  
Guiyou Wang ◽  
Zhao Gu ◽  
Weiru Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Psychomotor Performance ◽  
Physiological Responses ◽  
Arterial Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Arterial Oxygen ◽  
Awareness Training ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Psychophysiological Responses ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Training Protocol

INTRODUCTION: We compared the physiological responses, psychomotor performances, and hypoxia symptoms between 7000 m and 7500 m (23,000 and 24,600 ft) exposure to develop a safer hypoxia training protocol.METHODS: In altitude chamber, 66 male pilots were exposed to 7000 and 7500 m. Heart rate and arterial oxygen saturation were continuously monitored. Psychomotor performance was assessed using the computational task. The hypoxic symptoms were investigated by a questionnaire.RESULTS: The mean duration time of hypoxia was 323.0 56.5 s at 7000 m and 218.2 63.3 s at 7500 m. The 6-min hypoxia training was completed by 57.6% of the pilots and 6.1% of the pilots at 7000 m and at 7500 m, respectively. There were no significant differences in pilots heart rates and psychomotor performance between the two exposures. The Spo2 response at 7500 m was slightly severer than that at 7000 m. During the 7000 m exposure, pilots experienced almost the same symptoms and similar frequency order as those during the 7500 m exposure.CONCLUSIONS: There were concordant symptoms, psychomotor performance, and very similar physiological responses between 7000 m and 7500 m during hypoxia training. The results indicated that 7000-m hypoxia awareness training might be an alternative to 7500-m hypoxia training with lower DCS risk and longer experience time.Wen D, Tu L, Wang G, Gu Z, Shi W, Liu X. Psychophysiological responses of pilots in hypoxia training at 7000 and 7500 m. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(10):785789.

Heterogeneous activity level of jaw-closing and -opening muscles and its association with arousal levels during sleep in the guinea pig

2010 ◽  
Vol 298 (1) ◽  
pp. R34-R42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takafumi Kato ◽  
Yuji Masuda ◽  
Hayato Kanayama ◽  
Norimasa Nakamura ◽  
Atsushi Yoshida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Eye Movement ◽  
Rem Sleep ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Nrem Sleep ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Jaw Muscles ◽  
High Activity Level ◽  
Motor Activities

Exaggerated jaw motor activities during sleep are associated with muscle symptoms in the jaw-closing rather than the jaw-opening muscles. The intrinsic activity of antagonistic jaw muscles during sleep remains unknown. This study aims to assess the balance of muscle activity between masseter (MA) and digastric (DG) muscles during sleep in guinea pigs. Electroencephalogram (EEG), electroocculogram, and electromyograms (EMGs) of dorsal neck, MA, and DG muscles were recorded with video during sleep-wake cycles. These variables were quantified for each 10-s epoch. The magnitude of muscle activity during sleep in relation to mean EMG activity of total wakefulness was up to three times higher for MA muscle than for DG muscle for nonrapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Although the activity level of the two jaw muscles fluctuated during sleep, the ratio of activity level for each epoch was not proportional. Epochs with a high activity level for each muscle were associated with a decrease in δEEG power and/or an increase in heart rate in NREM sleep. However, this association with heart rate and activity levels was not observed in REM sleep. These results suggest that in guinea pigs, the magnitude of muscle activity for antagonistic jaw muscles is heterogeneously modulated during sleep, characterized by a high activity level in the jaw-closing muscle. Fluctuations in the activity are influenced by transient arousal levels in NREM sleep but, in REM sleep, the distinct controls may contribute to the fluctuation. The above intrinsic characteristics could underlie the exaggeration of jaw motor activities during sleep (e.g., sleep bruxism).

Modulations in Respiratory and Laryngeal Activity Associated With Changes in Vocal Intensity During Speech

2000 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 934-950 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen M. Finnegan ◽  
Erich S. Luschei ◽  
Henry T. Hoffman
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Airway Resistance ◽  
Sudden Change ◽  
Lower Airway ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Primary Role ◽  
Respiratory Drive ◽  
Tracheal Pressure ◽  
Vocal Intensity ◽  
Laryngeal Airway

We tested the hypothesis that different strategies are used to alter tracheal pressure (P t ) during sustained and transient increases in intensity. It has been suggested that the respiratory system plays the primary role in P t changes associated with alteration in overall intensity, whereas laryngeal adjustment is primary for transient change in P t related to emphasis. Tracheal pressure, obtained via tracheal puncture, airflow (U), and laryngeal electromyography from the thyroarytenoid muscle (TA EMG) were collected from 6 subjects during sentence production at different intensity levels and with various stress patterns. Using a technique described in a previous study, we computed lower airway resistance (R law ) from measures of P t and U obtained during a sudden change in upper airway resistance. We used this resistance value, together with direct measures of P t and U during speech, to derive a time-varying measure of alveolar pressure (P a ), the pressure created by respiratory muscle activity and elastic recoil of the lungs. P a provided a measure of respiratory drive that was unaffected by laryngeal activity. Laryngeal airway resistance (R lx ) and TA EMG provided measures of laryngeal activity. The results of this study indicated that, contrary to the outcome predicted by the hypothesis, there was no difference in the strategies used to alter P t during sustained and transient increases in intensity. Although changes in both P a and R lx contributed to increase in P t , the contribution of P a was substantially greater. On average, P a contributed to 94% and R lx to 6% of the increase in P t associated with vocal intensity. A secondary purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which laryngeal muscle activity was related to R lx during speech. We found TA EMG activity increased with intensity but was not well correlated with R lx , suggesting that when it contracts, the TA muscle may affect intensity by loosening the cover, which allows for greater amplitude of vocal fold vibration, without necessarily increasing laryngeal airway resistance.

scholarly journals An Electromyographic Study of the Hip Abductor Muscles as Subjects With a Hip Prosthesis Walked With Different Methods of Using a Cane and Carrying a Load

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (12) ◽  
pp. 1163-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald A Neumann
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Hip Prosthesis ◽  
Load Condition ◽  
Surface Emg ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Emg Signal ◽  
Hip Abductor ◽  
Load Conditions

Abstract Background and Purpose. Certain methods of carrying handheld loads or using a cane can reduce the demands placed on the hip abductor (HA) muscles and the loads on the underlying prosthetic hip. In certain conditions, unusually large forces from the HA muscles may contribute to premature loosening of a prosthetic hip. The purpose of this study was to examine HA use by measuring the amplitude of the electromyographic (EMG) signal from the HA muscles as subjects carried a load and simultaneously used a cane. Subjects. Twenty-four active subjects (mean age=63.3 years, SD=10.7, range=40–86) with a unilateral prosthetic hip were tested. Methods. The HA muscle surface EMG activity was analyzed as subjects carried loads weighing 5%, 10%, or 15% of body weight held by either their contralateral or ipsilateral arm relative to their prosthetic hip. They simultaneously used a cane with their free hand. Results. The contralateral cane and ipsilateral load conditions produced HA muscle EMG activity that was approximately 40% less than the EMG activity produced while walking without carrying a load or using a cane. Conclusion and Discussion. People who are in danger of premature loosening of their prosthetic hip should, if possible, avoid carrying loads. If a load must be carried, however, then the contralateral cane and ipsilateral load condition appears to minimize the loads placed on the prosthetic hip due to HA muscle activity.

Factors Related to the Dive Reflex in Harbor Seals: Respiration, Immersion Bradycardia, and Lability of the Heart Rate

1974 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 248-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Dykes
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Breathing Pattern ◽  
Mean Amplitude ◽  
Harbor Seals ◽  
Normal Heart ◽  
Normal Heart Rate ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Mean Heart Rate

The normal heart rate of young breathing harbor seals, 130.1 beats/min (S.E.M. = 22, n = 33), decreases by 50% during periods of spontaneous apnea in air and by 69% during 2 min of forced apnea in air. Apneic bradycardia develops five times more slowly than bradycardia observed during immersion. During forced apnea the heart rate drops to 31% of the value observed during periods of breathing in 200 s while during immersion the heart rate drops to this value only after 20 s. Since the bradycardia during apnea has a slower time course, apnea alone cannot account for the bradycardia observed during immersion.In quietly resting seals, the apneustic breathing pattern consisted of periods of breathing (duration of 10–115 s) interrupted by apneic pauses (duration of 19–104 s). During the breathing periods successive breaths tended to be smaller so that at the end of a breathing period the mean amplitude of a respiratory movement was only 57% of the mean amplitude of the first inspiration. Tracheostomy altered the breathing pattern and lowered the mean heart rate during breathing to 43% of the rate observed in intact animals. Under controlled conditions immersion bradycardia was highly reproducible and showed no signs of conditioning to the experimental regime. Data from 56 immersions on three animals illustrated minor individual differences in the time course of the immersion bradycardia and provided the basis for an estimate of the average time course of immersion bradycardia in young harbor seals.

scholarly journals Quantification of the Differences in Electromyographic Activity Magnitude Between the Upper and Lower Portions of the Rectus Abdominis Muscle During Selected Trunk Exercises

2001 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 1096-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J Lehman ◽  
Stuart M McGill
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Abdominal Muscle ◽  
Rectus Abdominis ◽  
Oblique Muscle ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Electromyographic Activity ◽  
Rectus Abdominis Muscle ◽  
Emg Signal ◽  
External Oblique Muscle ◽  
External Oblique

Abstract Background and Purpose. Controversy exists around exercises and clinical tests that attempt to differentially activate the upper or lower portions of the rectus abdominis muscle. The purpose of this study was to assess the activation of the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis muscle during a variety of abdominal muscle contractions. Subjects. Subjects (N=11) were selected from a university population for athletic ability and low subcutaneous fat to optimize electromyographic (EMG) signal collection. Methods. Controlling for spine curvature, range of motion, and posture (and, therefore, muscle length), EMG activity of the external oblique muscle and upper and lower portions of rectus abdominis muscle was measured during the isometric portion of curl-ups, abdominal muscle lifts, leg raises, and restricted or attempted leg raises and curl-ups. A one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to test for differences in activity between exercises in the external oblique and rectus abdominis muscles as well as between the portions of the rectus abdominis muscle. Results. No differences in muscle activity were found between the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis muscle within and between exercises. External oblique muscle activity, however, showed differences between exercises. Discussion and Conclusion. Normalizing the EMG signal led the authors to believe that the differences between the portions of the rectus abdominis muscle are small and may lack clinical or therapeutic relevance.

Electromyographic Activity of Trunk Muscles During Flexion-Distraction Treatment of Low Back Patients

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maruti R. Gudavalli ◽  
Jerrilyn A. Backman ◽  
Steven J. Kirstukas ◽  
Anant V. Kadiyala ◽  
Avinash G. Patwardhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Trunk Muscles ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Electromyographic Activity ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Flexion Extension ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Mean

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the superficial muscles during the treatment of low back patients during a conservative procedure known as the Cox flexion-distraction procedure. A total of 33 low back pain patients were recruited for this study from chiropractic and allopathic orthopedic clinics. EMG signals were collected while the patient was in a prone relaxed position, during the treatment using the flexion-distraction procedure, and during maximum voluntary exertions in the three planes (flexion, extension, left and right lateral bending, and left and right twisting). The mean values of the Root Mean Square (RMS) values of EMG ratios during treatment versus resting indicate that the muscles are active during the treatment. This activity is more than the activity at rest. However the mean values of the RMS EMG ratios (during treatment versus maximum voluntary contraction) are small indicating that the muscle activity during treatment may not influence the treatment loads. The left and right muscles in all muscle groups were similarly active. During the treatment, erector spinae muscles were the most active, followed by the external oblique, and the rectus abdominus muscles. The results from this study provide quantitative data for the muscle activity during the flexion-distraction treatment. This information can be incorporated into computer models to estimate the loads generated during the flexion-distraction treatment due to the muscle activity compared to the loads generated by the chiropractic physician.

Comparable patterns of muscle facilitation evoked by individual corticomotoneuronal (CM) cells and by single intracortical microstimuli in primates: evidence for functional groups of CM cells

1985 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 786-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Cheney ◽  
E. E. Fetz
Keyword(s):  
Motor Cortex ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Action Potentials ◽  
Relative Strength ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Base Line ◽  
Onset Latency ◽  
Wrist Flexion ◽  
Forelimb Muscles ◽  
The Mean

We compared the averaged responses of forelimb muscles to action potentials of single motor cortex cells and to single intracortical microstimuli (S-ICMS). Activity of precentral neurons and 12 identified forelimb muscles (6 flexors and 6 extensors of wrist and fingers) was recorded in macaques while they performed alternating ramp-and-hold wrist movements. Action potentials of cells that covaried reliably with wrist flexion or extension were used to compile spike-triggered averages (spike-TAs) of rectified electromyographic (EMG) activity of six synergistically coactivated muscles. Cells whose spikes were followed by a clear postspike facilitation (PSF) of rectified muscle activity were designated corticomotoneuronal (CM) cells. CM cells typically facilitated a subset of the coactivated muscles called the cell's target muscles. The relative strength of the PSF in different target muscles ranged from clear increases above base-line fluctuations to weak but significant effects. For each CM cell we characterized the "PSF profile" of facilitation across different muscles, defined as the relative strength of PSF in each of the coactivated agonist muscles. After identifying the CM cell's target muscles, we delivered S-ICMS through the microelectrode at the same site. Biphasic stimuli were delivered during the same wrist movements in which the recorded CM cell had been active. Stimulus intensities were too weak (typically 5-10 microA) and their repetition rate too slow (5-15 Hz) to evoke muscle excitation evident in the raw EMG record. However, stimulus-triggered averages (stimulus-TAs) of the rectified EMGs of coactivated muscles revealed consistent patterns of poststimulus facilitation (PStimF). In most cases the muscles facilitated by the CM cell in spike-TAs (n = 60) were also facilitated by S-ICMS in stimulus-TAs. At sites of CM cells the threshold stimulus intensities for evoking a statistically significant effect were between 0.5 and 2 microA. S-ICMS of 5 microA evoked PStimF that was, on the average, six times stronger than the PSF of the CM cell. The height of the facilitation peak relative to base-line fluctuations was 5-60 times greater for the stimuli than the spikes of the CM cell. The average onset latency of PStimF (8.0 +/- 1.2 ms) was 1.3 ms longer than the mean latency of PSF (6.7 +/- 1.4 ms). At two-thirds of the cortical sites where both spike- and stimulus-TAs were computed (n = 30), the PStimF profile exactly matched the PSF profile.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Activation of Scapular and Lumbopelvic Muscles During Core Exercises Executed on a Whole-Body Wobble Board

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 623-634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Biscarini ◽  
Samuele Contemori ◽  
Giuditta Grolla
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Stable Condition ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Core Stability ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Abdominal Muscles ◽  
Entire Body ◽  
Unstable Condition ◽  
The Core

Context: Previous studies highlighted that exercises executed on unstable surfaces can yield important benefits to the function of the core musculature in rehabilitation settings, general conditioning settings, and athletic training when properly introduced within a periodized training schedule. No previous study has analyzed core-stability exercises executed in lying, quadruped, plank, and bridge positions on a whole-body wobble board (WWB) specifically designed to accommodate the exerciser’s entire body and promote whole-body instability. We have designed a WWB allowed to roll in a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal axis to promote proactive and reactive activation of the core muscles with a transverse or diagonal line of action, which provides trunk and pelvic stability with low spine compression forces. Purpose: To determine the effect of the use of this newly designed WWB by assessing differences in core-muscle activity during core-stability exercises performed on the ground, in a stable condition, and on the WWB. Design: Controlled laboratory study. Setting: Research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Eighteen participants recruited from fitness centers. Intervention(s): The electromyographic (EMG) activity of lumbopelvic and scapular muscles has been recorded during core-stability exercises executed on the WWB (unstable condition) and on ground (stable condition). Main Outcome Measure(s): Mean and peak EMG activity were compared between stable and unstable condition with paired t tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: Overall, exercises performed on the WWB yielded significantly higher EMG activity in the serratus anterior and anterolateral abdominal muscles compared with the same exercises executed on the ground. Conversely, for the bird dog exercise, lower-back muscle activity was significantly higher on the ground. Conclusions: Compared with the ground, core-stability exercises executed on WWB constitute a simple and effective strategy to increase the activity level of the core muscles that control transverse-plane lumbopelvic and trunk stability, avoiding the use of external overload.

scholarly journals Analysis of Different Hand and Finger Grip Patterns using Surface Electromyography and Hand Dynamometry

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 14-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Buniya ◽  
Ali H. Al-Timemy ◽  
A. Aldoori ◽  
Rami N. Khushaba
Keyword(s):  
Motor Neurons ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Diagnostic Procedures ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Abductor Pollicis Brevis ◽  
Power Grip ◽  
Emg Signal ◽  
The Mean

Recording an Electromyogram (EMG) signal is essential for diagnostic procedures like muscle health assessment and motor neurons control. The EMG signals have been used as a source of control for powered prosthetics to support people to accomplish their activities of daily living (ADLs). This work deals with studying different types of hand grips and finding their relationship with EMG activity. Five subjects carried out four functional movements (fine pinch, tripod grip and grip with the middle and thumb finger, as well as the power grip). Hand dynamometer has been used to record the EMG activity from three muscles namely; Flexor Carpi Radialis (FCR), Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (FDS), and Abductor Pollicis Brevis (ABP) with different levels of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (MVC) (10-100%). In order to analyze the collected EMG and force data, the mean absolute value of each trial is calculated followed by a calculation of the average of the 3 trials for each grip for each subject across the different MVC levels utilized in the study. Then, the mean and the standard deviation (SD) across all participants (3 males and 2 females) are calculated for FCR, FDS and APB muscles with multiple % MVC, i.e 10, 30, 50, 70 % MVC for each gesture. The results showed that APB muscle has the highest mean EMG activity across all grips, followed by FCR muscle. Furthermore, the grip with the thumb and middle fingers is the grip with the highest EMG activity for 10-70% MVC than the power grip. As for the 100% MVC, thumb and middle fingers grip achieved the highest EMG activity for APB muscle, while the power grip has the highest EMG activity for both FCR and FDS muscles.  

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