Electromyography and the evolution of motor control: limitations and insights

• Autores: Herrel, Anthony; Schaerlaeken, Vicky; Ross, Callum; Meyers, Jay; Nishikawa, Kiisa; Abdala, Virginia Sara Luz; Manzano, Adriana Silvina; Aerts, Peter
• Año de publicación: 2008
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Electromyography; Motor Control; Constraints
• Institución: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas

Electromyography (EMG), or the study of muscle activation patterns, has long been used to infer central nervous system (CNS) control of the musculoskeletal system and the evolution of that control. As the activation of the muscles at the level of the periphery is a reflection of the interaction of descending influences and local reflex control, EMG is an important tool in integrated investigations of the evolution of coordination in complex, musculoskeletal systems. Yet, the use of EMG as a tool to understand the evolution of motor control has its limitations. We here review the potential limitations and opportunities of the use of EMG in studying the evolution of motor control in vertebrates and provide original previously unpublished data to illustrate this. The relative timing of activation of a set of muscles can be used to evaluate CNS coordination of the components in a musculoskeletal system. Studies of relative timing reveal task-dependent variability in the recruitment of different populations of muscle fibers (i.e., different fiber types) within a single muscle, and left–right asymmetries in activation that need to be taken into account in comparative studies. The magnitude of muscle recruitment is strongly influenced by the instantaneous demands imposed on the system, and is likely determined by local reflex-control systems. Consequently, using EMG to make meaningful inferences about evolutionary changes in musculoskeletal control requires comparisons across similar functional tasks. Moreover, our data show that inferences about the evolution of motor control are limited in their explanatory power without proper insights into the kinematics and dynamics of a system.
Fil: Herrel, Anthony. Harvard University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Schaerlaeken, Vicky. Harvard University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Ross, Callum. Harvard University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Meyers, Jay. Harvard University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Nishikawa, Kiisa. Harvard University; Estados Unidos
Fil: Abdala, Virginia Sara Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical. Instituto de Biodiversidad Neotropical; Argentina
Fil: Manzano, Adriana Silvina. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; Argentina
Fil: Aerts, Peter. Harvard University; Estados Unidos