On the use of a wearable electromyographic tool for neuromotor research

This article describes the use or a wearable tool to investigate sudden oscillators such those present in fatigue-induced tremor. The tool, called tremor coherence analyser (TCA), can sample up to four EMG channels. It calculates the coherence function between two selected channels in order to assess the coupling level between the signals. High coherence values can lead to identify a common oscillator that is causing the tremor observed in the measured signals. In order to validate the tool, experiments with eight healthy subjects with fatigue-induced tremor have been done. Results show the value of this portable tool to understand the underlying mechanisms of tremor.

[1]  D F Stegeman,et al.  Recent progress in the diagnostic use of surface EMG for neurological diseases. , 2000, Journal of electromyography and kinesiology : official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology.

[2]  A Beuter,et al.  Using frequency domain characteristics to discriminate physiologic and parkinsonian tremors. , 1999, Journal of clinical neurophysiology : official publication of the American Electroencephalographic Society.

[3]  M. Brin,et al.  Consensus Statement of the Movement Disorder Society on Tremor , 2008, Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society.

[4]  J. R. Rosenberg,et al.  Using electroencephalography to study functional coupling between cortical activity and electromyograms during voluntary contractions in humans , 1998, Neuroscience Letters.

[5]  J. Matsumoto,et al.  Time-frequency analysis of tremors. , 1998, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[6]  G. Deuschl,et al.  The pathophysiology of tremor , 2001, Muscle & nerve.

[7]  R. Hauser,et al.  Phenomenology and treatment of tremor disorders. , 2001, Neurologic clinics.

[8]  Stanley Cobb,et al.  SIMULTANEOUS ELECTROMYOGRAMS AND ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAMS IN PARALYSIS AGITANS , 1939 .

[9]  U. Shahani,et al.  Coherence between low-frequency activation of the motor cortex and tremor in patients with essential tremor , 2000, The Lancet.

[10]  E. Louis,et al.  How common is the most common adult movement disorder? Estimates of the prevalence of essential tremor throughout the world , 1998, Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society.

[11]  M. Hallett Tremor , 1991, Neurology.

[12]  K A Sigvardt,et al.  Inter‐ and intralimb oscillator coupling in Parkinsonian tremor , 2000, Movement disorders : official journal of the Movement Disorder Society.

[13]  Karl M. Newell,et al.  Bilateral organization of physiological tremor in the upper limb , 1999, European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology.

[14]  H. Bergman,et al.  Synchrony of rest tremor in multiple limbs in Parkinson's disease: evidence for multiple oscillators , 2001, Journal of Neural Transmission.

[15]  Manfred Smeja,et al.  24-h Assessment of Tremor Activity and Posture in Parkinson's Disease by Multi-Channel Accelerometry , 1999 .

[16]  M. Topping,et al.  Dynamically responsive intervention for tremor suppression , 2003, IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine.