A Model for Surface EMG Generation in Volume Conductors With Spherical Inhomogeneities

The extraction of neural strategies from the surface EMG: 2004-2024

This review follows two previous papers [Farina et al. Appl Physiol (1985) 96: 1486-1495, 2004; Farina et al. J Appl Physiol (1985) 117: 1215-1230, 2014] in which we reflected on the use of surface electromyography (EMG) in the study of the neural control of movement. This series of papers began with an analysis of the indirect approaches of EMG processing to infer the neural control strategies and then closely followed the progress in EMG technology. In this third paper, we focus on three main areas: surface EMG modeling; surface EMG processing, with an emphasis on decomposition; and interfacing applications of surface EMG recordings. We highlight the latest advances in EMG models that allow fast generation of simulated signals from realistic volume conductors, with applications ranging from validation of algorithms to identification of nonmeasurable parameters by inverse modeling. Surface EMG decomposition is currently an established state-of-the-art tool for physiological investigations of motor units. It is now possible to identify large samples of motor units, to track motor units over multiple sessions, to partially compensate for the nonstationarities in dynamic contractions, and to decompose signals in real time. The latter achievement has facilitated advances in myocontrol, by using the online decoded neural drive as a control signal, such as in the interfacing of prostheses. Looking back over the 20 yr since our first review, we conclude that the recording and analysis of surface EMG signals have seen breakthrough advances in this period. Although challenges in its application and interpretation remain, surface EMG is now a solid and unique tool for the study of the neural control of movement.

Fasciculation electromechanical latency is prolonged in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

OBJECTIVE

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), motor neurons become hyperexcitable and spontaneously discharge electrical impulses causing fasciculations. These can be detected by two noninvasive methods: high-density surface electromyography (HDSEMG) and muscle ultrasonography (MUS). We combined these methods simultaneously to explore the electromechanical properties of fasciculations, seeking a novel biomarker of disease.

METHODS

Twelve ALS patients and thirteen healthy participants each provided up to 24 minutes of recordings from the right biceps brachii (BB) and gastrocnemius medialis (GM). Two automated algorithms (Surface Potential Quantification Engine and a Gaussian mixture model) were applied to HDSEMG and MUS data to identify correlated electromechanical fasciculation events.

RESULTS

We identified 4,197 correlated electromechanical fasciculation events. HDSEMG reliably detected electromechanical events up to 30 mm below the skin surface with an inverse correlation between amplitude and depth in ALS muscles. Compared to Healthy-GM muscles (mean = 79.8 ms), electromechanical latency was prolonged in ALS-GM (mean = 108.8 ms; p = 0.0458) and ALS-BB (mean = 112.0 ms; p = 0.0128) muscles. Electromechanical latency did not correlate with disease duration, symptom burden, sum muscle power score or fasciculation frequency.

CONCLUSIONS

Prolonged fasciculation electromechanical latency indicates impairment of the excitation-contraction coupling mechanism, warranting further exploration as a potential novel biomarker of disease in ALS.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study points to an electromechanical defect within the muscles of ALS patients.

Muscle fiber conduction velocity of the vastus medilais and lateralis muscle after eccentric exercise induced-muscle damage

Change in muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) has been reported after eccentric exercise induces muscle fiber damage, most likely due to a change in membrane permeability of the injured fiber. The extent of damage to the muscle fiber depends on the morphological and architectural characteristics of the muscle fibers. Morphological and architectural characteristics of the VMO muscle fibers are different from VL muscle. Thus, it is expected that eccentric exercise of quadriceps muscle results in a non-uniform fiber damage within the VMO and VL muscle and, as a consequence, non-uniform changes in membrane excitability and conduction velocity. The aim of the study was to investigate MFCV of the VMO and VL muscles before and 24 h after eccentric exercise. Multichannel surface EMG signals were concurrently recorded from the right VMO and VL muscles of 15 healthy men during sustained isometric contractions at 50% of the maximal force. Maximal voluntary force significantly reduced after eccentric exercise with respect to the pre-exercise condition (P < 0.0001). MFCV decreased over time during the sustained contractions at faster rates when assessed 24 h after exercise (VMO = -26.1; VL = -20.1) with respect to the pre-exercise condition (VMO = -9.1; VL = -13.7, P < 0.0001). Moreover, VMO showed a greater rate of reduction in MFCV over sustained contraction (26.1 ± 10.7%) in comparison with VL muscle (20.1 ± 8.5%, P < 0.025) 24 h after eccentric exercise. The result indicates that eccentric exercise contributes to a larger reduction in MFCV within the VMO muscle as compared to the VL muscle. This may abolish the ability of VMO to counteract the lateral pull of the VL muscle during knee extension, thereby leaving the knee complex more vulnerable to injury.

Volume conductor models in surface electromyography: computational techniques

Models of surface electromyogram (EMG) are useful to assess the effect of geometrical or conductivity properties of the tissue on the recorded signal. This paper provides a review of structure based models describing specific volume conductors. The technique for the development of advanced analytical and numerical simulators is described. A new model is also introduced, simulating a layered volume conductor including a subcutaneous tissue with variable thicknesses, providing an approximate analytical solution in the Fourier transform domain. Note that volume conductors are described using Poisson equation, fundamental model of Mathematical Physics, which applies also to mechanics, diffusion, electrostatics problems.

Detecting the unique representation of motor-unit action potentials in the surface electromyogram

This study investigated the relative proportion of motor-unit action potentials that are uniquely represented in the simulated and experimental surface electromyogram (EMG). Two hundred motor units were simulated in a cylindrical anatomical system. Action potentials for each motor unit were generated with a model and then compared with those of other motor units. Pairs of motor units were considered indistinguishable and the motor units not uniquely represented in the surface EMG, when the difference in the mean energy for the pair of potentials was <5%. The anatomical conditions and recording configurations had a substantial influence on the percentage of motor units that could be uniquely identified in the simulated EMG. For example, a single monopolar channel could discriminate only 3.4% of motor units in the simulated population, whereas a system with 81 Laplacian channels arranged in a grid could discriminate 83.8% of the motor units under the same conditions. The simulation results were confirmed with populations of motor units recorded experimentally from the abductor digiti minimi muscle of eight healthy men. Furthermore, the relative proportion of uniquely identified motor units in the simulated signal was only moderately related to motor-unit size and distance from the electrodes. These results indicate the upper limit for detection of individual motor units from the surface EMG and show that a few channels of surface EMG recordings are not sufficient to study single motor units. The noninvasive identification of motor units from the surface EMG requires the use of multiple channels of information.

Estimation of the distribution of intramuscular current during electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscle

Electrical stimulation is commonly used for strengthening muscle but little evidence exists as to the optimal electrode size, waveform, or frequency to apply. Three male and three female subjects (22-40 years old) were examined during electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscle. Two self adhesive electrode sizes were examined, 2 cm x 2 cm and 2 cm x 4 cm. Electrical stimulation was applied with square and sine waveforms, currents of 5, 10 and 15 mA, and pulse widths of 100-500 micros above the quadriceps muscle. Frequencies of stimulation were 20, 30, and 50 Hz. Current on the skin above the quadriceps muscle was measured with surface electrodes at five positions and at three positions with needle electrodes in the same muscle. Altering pulse width in the range of 100-500 micros, the frequency over a range of 20-50 Hz, or current from 5 to 15 mA had no effect on current dispersion either in the skin or within muscle. In contrast, the distance separating the electrodes caused large changes in current dispersion on the skin or into muscle. The most significant finding in the present investigation was that, while on the surface of the skin current dispersion was not different between sine and square wave stimulation, significantly more current was transferred deep in the muscle with sine versus square wave stimulation. The use of sine wave stimulation with electrode separation distances of less then 15 cm is recommended for electrical stimulation with a sine wave to achieve deep muscle stimulation.

Estimation of average muscle fiber conduction velocity from simulated surface EMG in pinnate muscles

The aim of this simulation study was to assess the bias in estimating muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) from surface electromyographic (EMG) signals in muscles with one and two pinnation angles. The volume conductor was a layered medium simulating anisotropic muscle tissue and isotropic homogeneous subcutaneous tissue. The muscle tissue was homogeneous for one pinnation angle and inhomogeneous for bipinnate muscles (two fiber directions). Interference EMG signals were obtained by simulating recruitment thresholds and discharge patterns of a set of 100 and 200 motor units for the pinnate and bipinnate muscle, respectively (15 degrees pinnation angel in both cases). Without subcutaneous layer and muscle fibers with CV 4m/s, average CV estimates from the pinnate (bipinnate) muscle were 4.81+/-0.18 m/s (4.80+/-0.18 m/s) for bipolar, 4.71+/-0.19 m/s (4.71+/-0.12 m/s) for double differential, and 4.78+/-0.16 m/s (4.79+/-0.15m/s) for Laplacian recordings. When subcutaneous layer was added (thickness 1mm) in the same conditions, estimated CV values were 4.93+/-0.25 m/s (5.16+/-0.41 m/s), 4.70+/-0.21 m/s (4.83+/-0.33 m/s), and 4.89+/-0.21 m/s (4.99+/-0.39 m/s), for the three recording systems, respectively. The main factor biasing CV estimates was the propagation of action potentials in the two directions which influenced the recording due to the scatter of the projection of end-plate and tendon locations along the fiber direction, as a consequence of pinnation. The same problem arises in muscles with the line of innervation zone locations not perpendicular to fiber direction. These results indicate an important limitation in reliability of CV estimates from the interference EMG when the innervation zone and tendon locations are not distributed perpendicular to fiber direction.

Clinical applications of high-density surface EMG: A systematic review

High density-surface EMG (HD-sEMG) is a non-invasive technique to measure electrical muscle activity with multiple (more than two) closely spaced electrodes overlying a restricted area of the skin. Besides temporal activity HD-sEMG also allows spatial EMG activity to be recorded, thus expanding the possibilities to detect new muscle characteristics. Especially muscle fiber conduction velocity (MFCV) measurements and the evaluation of single motor unit (MU) characteristics come into view. This systematic review of the literature evaluates the clinical applications of HD-sEMG. Although beyond the scope of the present review, the search yielded a large number of "non-clinical" papers demonstrating that a considerable amount of work has been done and that significant technical progress has been made concerning the feasibility and optimization of HD-sEMG techniques. Twenty-nine clinical studies and four reviews of clinical applications of HD-sEMG were considered. The clinical studies concerned muscle fatigue, motor neuron diseases (MND), neuropathies, myopathies (mainly in patients with channelopathies), spontaneous muscle activity and MU firing rates. In principle, HD-sEMG allows pathological changes at the MU level to be detected, especially changes in neurogenic disorders and channelopathies. We additionally discuss several bioengineering aspects and future clinical applications of the technique and provide recommendations for further development and implementation of HD-sEMG as a clinical diagnostic tool.

Simulation of Surface EMG Signals for a Multilayer Volume Conductor With Triangular Model of the Muscle Tissue

This study analytically describes surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals generated by a model of a triangular muscle, i.e., a muscle with fibers arranged in a fan shape. Examples of triangular muscles in the human body are the deltoid, the pectoralis major, the trapezius, the adductor pollicis. A model of triangular muscle is proposed. It is a sector of a cylindrical volume conductor (with the fibers directed along the radial coordinate) bounded at the muscle/fat interface. The muscle conductivity tensor reflects the fan anisotropy. Edge effects have been neglected. A solution of the nonspace invariant problem for a triangular muscle is provided in the Fourier domain. An approximate analytical solution for a two plane layer volume conductor model is obtained by introducing a homogeneous layer (modeling the fat) over the triangular muscle. The results are implemented in a complete sEMG generation model (including the finite length of the fibers), simulating single fiber action potentials. The model is not space invariant due to the changes of the volume conductor along the direction of action potential propagation. Thus the detected potentials at the skin surface change shape as they propagate. This determines problems in the extraction and interpretation of parameters. As a representative example of application of the simulation model, the influence of the inhomogeneity of the volume conductor in conduction velocity (CV) estimation is addressed (for two channels; maximum likelihood and reference point methods). Different fiber depths, electrode placements and small misalignments of the detection system with respect to the fiber have been simulated. The error in CV estimation is large when the depth of the fiber increases, when the detection system is not aligned with the fiber and close to the innervation point and to the tendons.

An analytical model for surface EMG generation in volume conductors with smooth conductivity variations

A nonspace invariant model of volume conductor for surface electromyography (EMG) signal generation is analytically investigated. The volume conductor comprises planar layers representing the muscle and subcutaneous tissues. The muscle tissue is homogeneous and anisotropic while the subcutaneous layer is inhomogeneous and isotropic. The inhomogeneity is modeled as a smooth variation in conductivity along the muscle fiber direction. This may reflect a practical situation of tissues with different conductivity properties in different locations or of transitions between tissues with different properties. The problem is studied with the regular perturbation theory, through a series expansion of the electric potential. This leads to a set of Poisson's problems, for which the source term in an equation and the boundary conditions are determined by the solution of the previous equations. This set of problems can be solved iteratively. The solution is obtained in the two-dimensional Fourier domain, with spatial angular frequencies corresponding to the longitudinal and perpendicular direction with respect to the muscle fibers, in planes parallel to the detection surface. The series expansion is truncated for the practical implementation. Representative simulations are presented. The proposed model constitutes a new approach for surface EMG signal simulation with applications related to the validation of methods for information extraction from this signal.

A Finite Element Model for Describing the Effect of Muscle Shortening on Surface EMG

A finite-element model for the generation of single fiber action potentials in a muscle undergoing various degrees of fiber shortening is developed. The muscle is assumed fusiform with muscle fibers following a curvilinear path described by a Gaussian function. Different degrees of fiber shortening are simulated by changing the parameters of the fiber path and maintaining the volume of the muscle constant. The conductivity tensor is adapted to the muscle fiber orientation. In each point of the volume conductor, the conductivity of the muscle tissue in the direction of the fiber is larger than that in the transversal direction. Thus, the conductivity tensor changes point-by-point with fiber shortening, adapting to the fiber paths. An analytical derivation of the conductivity tensor is provided. The volume conductor is then studied with a finite-element approach using the analytically derived conductivity tensor. Representative simulations of single fiber action potentials with the muscle at different degrees of shortening are presented. It is shown that the geometrical changes in the muscle, which imply changes in the conductivity tensor, determine important variations in action potential shape, thus affecting its amplitude and frequency content. The model provides a new tool for interpreting surface EMG signal features with changes in muscle geometry, as it happens during dynamic contractions.