Near-fiber electromyography

ObjectiveDescribe and evaluate the concepts of near fiber electromyography (NFEMG), the features used, including near fiber motor unit potential (NFMUP) duration and dispersion, which relate to motor unit distal axonal branch and muscle fiber conduction time dispersion, and NFMUP segment jitter, a new measure of the temporal variability of neuromuscular junction transmission (NMJ), and axonal branch and muscle fibre conduction for the near fibres (i.e. NF jitter), and the methods for obtaining their values.MethodsTrains of high-pass filtered motor unit potentials (MUPs) (i.e. NFMUP trains) were extracted from needle-detected EMG signals to assess changes in motor unit (MU) morphology and electrophysiology caused by neuromuscular disorders or ageing. Evaluations using simulated needle-detected EMG data were completed and example human data are presented.ResultsNFEMG feature values can be used to detect axonal sprouting, conduction slowing and NMJ transmission delay as well as changes in MU fiber diameter variability, and NF jitter. These changes can be detected prior to alterations of MU size or numbers.ConclusionsThe evaluations clearly demonstrate and the example data support that NFMUP duration and dispersion reflect MU distal axonal branching, conduction slowing and NMJ transmission delay and/or MU fiber diameter variability and that NFMUP jiggle and segment jitter reflect NF jitter.SignificanceNFEMG can detect early changes in MU morphology and/or electrophysiology and has the potential to augment clinical diagnosis and tracking of neuromuscular disorders.     

Sound design for auditory biofeedback and motor performance in participants with stroke: a pilot study

Background: Although auditory biofeedback (ABF) has proved to be effective in stroke rehabilitation, there are a variety of means by which to present information through sound.

Objectives: To examine if ABF sound design influences the motor performance of patients with stroke.

Methods: A total of four people with chronic stroke participated . They were asked to track target signals by their paretic ankle dorsiflexion. Half of the participants were assigned to one of the two groups. Those in the Error ABF group heard ABF that alerted them to the error between the target and the joint angle. Those in the Full ABF group heard ABF that presented both the target and the angle separately by modulating the frequencies of two sounds. Therefore, when there was no error, no sound or two sounds with the identical frequency were heard in the Error and Full ABF sessions, respectively. The same visual BF (VBF) was always present regardless of the group. The accuracy of the task was quantified via an accuracy index (AI, ranging from ?100 to 100). All participants were trained by repeating tracking, and the pre- and post-training AIs were obtained.

Results: The AIs of all participants increased after training, but the increase was greater for the Error ABF group (mean increase = 8.9 and 14.9 for the Full and Error groups, respectively).

Conclusions: The Full ABF was less effective than the Error ABF, probably because the VBF was present, and the information provided by the Full ABF was therefore redundant.     

肌电生物反馈对痉挛型脑瘫患儿下肢运动功能影响的Meta分析

目的:应用Meta分析评价肌电生物反馈治疗痉挛型脑瘫的作用。方法:检索PubMed、Embase、Cochrane图书馆及中国生物医学文献数据库、CNKI、维普、万方数据库中2009年1月~2019年6月关于肌电生物反馈治疗痉挛型脑瘫的随机对照试验,利用RevMan 5.3软件进行Meta分析。结果:纳入10项随机对照试验,共613个病例;肌电生物反馈可以改善脑瘫患儿踝关节活动度(MD=5.06,95%CI=4.01~6.10,P<0.01),改善粗大运动功能(GMFM D区MD=3.75,95%CI=2.75~4.75,P<0.01;GMFM E区MD=6.04,95%CI=4.82~7.26,P<0.01),改善腓肠肌痉挛程度(MD=5.19,95%CI=-0.52^-0.39,P<0.01)。结论:肌电生物反馈在改善脑瘫患儿下肢运动功能方面具有一定效果,但所纳入研究的方法有局限性,还需更严格的设计和高质量的研究方法进一步证明。     

奥拉西坦联合肌电生物反馈疗法治疗血管性痴呆疗效观察

目的:探讨奥拉西坦联合肌电生物反馈疗法治疗血管性痴呆(VD)的临床效果。方法:随机将2017年1月~2017年6月某院收治的104例VD患者随机分为A、B两组(A=52,B=52)。两组患者均给予奥拉西坦治疗,B组加用肌电生物反馈疗法,对比两组患者治疗前后MMSE、ADL和SF-36评分。结果:治疗后B组患者MMS、ADL和SF-36评分均高于A组(P<0.05)。结论:奥拉西坦联合肌电生物反馈疗法治疗可有效改善VD智力水平、自主生活能力和生活质量,具有较高的临床推广价值。     

Efficacy of anorectal biofeedback in scleroderma patients with fecal incontinence: a case–control study

Objective: To determine whether anorectal biofeedback therapy can improve the symptoms of fecal incontinence (FI) in patients with scleroderma when compared to patients with functional FI, and also whether there is any effect on anorectal physiology or quality of life (QOL). FI in patients with scleroderma is highly prevalent and is associated with significant loss of QOL. Biofeedback has been proven to be an effective treatment for functional FI, but there are no data to support its use in scleroderma.

Materials and methods: 13 consecutive female patients (median age 59, IQR 47–65 years) with scleroderma, and 26 age- and parity-matched female patients with functional FI (disease controls, 2:1), underwent biofeedback therapy for management of FI. Fecal incontinence severity index (FISI), anorectal physiology, feeling of control and QOL were collected before and after 6 weeks of biofeedback therapy, with additional scoring repeated at 6-month follow-up.

Results: After biofeedback treatment FISI, feeling of control and QOL significantly improved in both groups (p?p?Conclusions: Patients with scleroderma benefit from biofeedback therapy to the same extent as that achieved in patients with functional FI. There are significant improvements in symptoms, physiology and QOL. Biofeedback is an effective, low-risk treatment option in this patient group.     

生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤对产妇产后盆底康复效果的影响

目的探讨生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤对产妇产后盆底康复效果的影响。方法将56例初产妇按随机数字表法分成对照组与研究组各28例。对照组给予补中益气汤治疗;研究组在对照组基础上联合生物反馈电刺激治疗,两组均治疗6周。观测盆底肌相关电压、盆底肌力、尿失禁率、性生活质量。结果治疗后,两组盆底电位均值均显著升高,研究组高于对照组(P<0.05);治疗后,研究组尿失禁发生率显著降低,且显著低于对照组(P<0.05);研究组Ⅱ、Ⅲ、IV级肌力显著低于对照组(P<0.05);研究组性生活质量高水平显著高于对照组(P<0.05)。结论生物反馈电刺激联合补中益气汤可有效促进产妇产后盆底康复,效果显著优于单独补中益气汤。     

表面肌电生物反馈疗法结合吞咽训练治疗脑卒中患者吞咽障碍的疗效

目的:观察表面肌电生物反馈治疗结合吞咽训练治疗脑卒中患者吞咽障碍的效果。方法:选择2018年2月至2019年12月在广州市第一人民医院康复医学科和神经科接受治疗的65例脑卒中后吞咽障碍患者,根据患者意愿分为吞咽训练组33例和肌电生物反馈组32例。吞咽训练组采用吞咽训练,肌电生物反馈组在吞咽训练的基础上采用表面肌电生物反馈疗法。在患者接受治疗前后均采用标准吞咽功能评估法(SSA)及视频吞咽造影功能障碍量表(VDS)对患者的吞咽功能进行测定,并比较两组疗效。结果:与治疗前比较,治疗后两组SSA及VDS评分均降低(P<0.05),肌电生物反馈组降低更明显(P<0.05)。肌电生物反馈组有效率高于吞咽训练组(87.5%比60.6%,P<0.05)。结论:表面肌电生物反馈疗法结合吞咽训练能有效改善脑卒中患者吞咽障碍,且效果明显优于单纯吞咽训练。     

咬合板高度对TMD患者咀嚼肌肌电的影响

目的:研究不同高度的咬合板对颞下颌关节紊乱病(TMD)患者颞肌前束、咬肌肌电的影响。方法:73例TMD患者随机分为3组,戴用不同高度咬合板使咬合距离分别增加3mm、5mm、7mm,比较分析戴板前和戴板后即刻测量的双侧颞肌前束(TA)和咬肌(MM)肌电电位。结果:在静息及紧咬状态下,戴用不同高度咬合板即刻测量的TA及MM肌电电位均明显低于戴板前的测量值(P<0.05);紧咬状态下5mm和7mm咬合板对MM肌电电位的降低程度显著高于3mm组。结论:咬合板是治疗肌功能紊乱的有效方法。高度为5mm和7mm的咬合板降低咀嚼肌肌电的能力较3mm咬合板更强。     

Threshold properties of single motor units in superior head of human lateral pterygoid muscle

The superior head of the human lateral pterygoid muscle (SHLP) may play a similar role in jaw movement as the inferior head (IHLP). OBJECTIVE: The aim was to determine whether threshold properties of single motor units (SMUs) within SHLP during jaw tasks were comparable to those identified for IHLP. DESIGN: In 24 human subjects, SMUs were recorded intramuscularly from computer-tomography verified sites within SHLP during standardised jaw tasks recorded by a jaw-tracking device. RESULTS: Of the 69 SMUs discriminated, 54 were active during contralateral, 52 during protrusive and 8 during ipsilateral jaw movements. The thresholds, at which SMUs commenced firing, decreased (p<0.05) as speed of contralateral or protrusive tasks increased. The data suggest an important role for SHLP in generation and control of contralateral and protrusive jaw movements. A number of lines of evidence were consistent with functional heterogeneity within SHLP. CONCLUSIONS: The similarities in SHLP and IHLP functional properties support the proposal that both heads should be regarded as a system of fibers acting as one muscle.