A systematic method to quantify the presence of cross-talk in stimulus-evoked EMG responses: implications for TMS studies

Victor S Selvanayagam; Stephan Riek; Timothy J Carroll

doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00558.2011

Back

A systematic method to quantify the presence of cross-talk in stimulus-evoked EMG responses: implications for TMS studies

Journal article

Peer reviewed

A systematic method to quantify the presence of cross-talk in stimulus-evoked EMG responses: implications for TMS studies

Victor S Selvanayagam, Stephan Riek and Timothy J Carroll

Journal of Applied Physiology , Vol.112(2), pp.259-265

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00558.2011

PMID: 22052875

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00558.2011View

Published Version

Abstract

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Wrist - physiology

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Peripheral Nerves - physiology

Humans

Muscle Contraction - physiology

Cell Communication

Adult

Female

Male

Muscle, Skeletal - physiology

Electromyography - methods

Surface electromyography (EMG) responses to noninvasive nerve and brain stimulation are routinely used to provide insight into neural function in humans. However, this could lead to erroneous conclusions if evoked EMG responses contain significant contributions from neighboring muscles (i.e., due to "cross-talk"). We addressed this issue with a simple nerve stimulation method to provide quantitative information regarding the size of EMG cross-talk between muscles of the forearm and hand. Peak to peak amplitude of EMG responses to electrical stimulation of the radial, median, and ulnar nerves (i.e., M-waves) were plotted against stimulation intensity for four wrist muscles and two hand muscles (n = 12). Since electrical stimulation can selectively activate specific groups of muscles, the method can differentiate between evoked EMG arising from target muscles and EMG cross-talk arising from nontarget muscles. Intramuscular EMG responses to nerve stimulation and root mean square EMG produced during maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of the wrist were recorded for comparison. Cross-talk was present in evoked surface EMG responses recorded from all nontarget wrist (5.05-39.38% Mmax) and hand muscles (1.50-24.25% Mmax) and to a lesser degree in intramuscular EMG signals (∼3.7% Mmax). The degree of cross-talk was comparable for stimulus-evoked responses and voluntary activity recorded during MVC. Since cross-talk can make a considerable contribution to EMG responses in forearm and hand muscles, care is required to avoid misinterpretation of EMG data. The multiple nerve stimulation method described here can be used to quantify the potential contribution of EMG cross-talk in transcranial magnetic stimulation and reflex studies.

Details

Title: A systematic method to quantify the presence of cross-talk in stimulus-evoked EMG responses: implications for TMS studies
Authors: Victor S Selvanayagam (Author) - University of Queensland
Stephan Riek (Author) - University of Queensland
Timothy J Carroll (Author) - University of Queensland
Publication details: Journal of Applied Physiology , Vol.112(2), pp.259-265
Publisher: American Physiological Society
DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00558.2011
ISSN: 1522-1601
PMID: 22052875
Organisation Unit: Graduate Research School; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99472604802621
Output Type: Journal article

Metrics

33 Record Views

24 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Physiology; Sport Sciences

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

Source: InCites