INVESTIGADORES
ABDALA Virginia Sara Luz
artículos
Título:
Electromyography and the evolution of motor control: limitations and
Autor/es:
A. HERREL; V. SCHAERLAEKEN; C. ROSS; J. MEYERS; K. NISHIKAWA; V. ABDALA; A. MANZANO, P. AERTS
Revista:
INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
Editorial:
Oxford University Press
Referencias:
Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2008 p. 261 - 271
ISSN:
1540-7063
Resumen:
Electromyography, 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 thereof. 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, electromyography is an important tool in integrated investigations
of the evolution of coordination in complex, musculoskeletal systems. 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 muscle fiber
type populations within a single muscle, and left-right asymmetries in activation,
that provide insight into CNS coordination strategies. The magnitude of muscle
recruitment, on the other hand, is more strongly influenced by the instantaneous
demands imposed on the system, likely determined by local reflex control
systems. Using EMG to make meaningful inferences about evolutionary changes
in musculoskeletal control requires comparisons across similar functional tasks.
Moreover, inferences about the evolution of motor control are limited in their
explanatory power without proper insights into the kinematics and dynamics of a
system.