Skip to main content
Log in

Probabilistic model of the spatial distribution of muscle fibres in human muscles

  • Published:
Biological Cybernetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An analytical model and computer simulation model for measuring fibre density in motor units of human skeletal muscles have been described. The model was developed for Gaussian distribution of the fibres in the motor unit territory. It has been shown that fibre density measurement using a triggering fibre was a biased estimate of the actual density of the fibres in the territory. The effects of varying the standard deviation of the spatial distribution on the estimate of fibre density has been investigated, and it has been shown that for high values of standard deviation a uniform distribution of the fibres in the territory was a good first order approximation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brandstaeter ME, Lambert EH (1973) Motor unit anatomy. Type and spatial arrangement of muscle fibres. In: Desmedt JE (ed) New developments in electromyography and clinical neurophysiology. S Karger, Basel, pp 14–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchthal F, Guld C, Rosenfalck P (1957) Multielectrode studey of the territory of a motor unit. Acta Physiol Scand 39:83–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchthal F, Erminio F, Rosenfalck P (1959) Motor unit territory in different human muscles. Acta Physiol Scand 45:72–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Burke RE, Levin DN, Zajac FE, Tsairis P, Engel WKL (1971) Mammalian motor units. Physiological-histochemical correlation in three types in cat gastronemius. Science 174:709–712

    Google Scholar 

  • Edström L, Kugelberg E (1968) Differential histochemical effects of muscle contractions on phosphorilase and glycogen in various types of fibres. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 31:415–423

    Google Scholar 

  • Gath I, Stålberg E (1978) The calculated radial decline of the extracellular action potential compared with in situ measurements in the human brachial biceps. Electroencephal Clin Neurophysiol 44:547–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Gath I, Stålberg E (1979) Measurement of the uptake area of small-size electromyographic electrodes. IEEE Trans Biomed Eng 26:374–376

    Google Scholar 

  • Gath I, Stålberg E (1981) In situ measurement of the innervation ratio of motor units in human muscles. Exp Brain Res 43:377–382

    Google Scholar 

  • Gath I, Stålberg E (1982) On the measurement of fibre density in human muscles. Electroencephal Clin Neurophysiol 54:699–706

    Google Scholar 

  • Griep PAM, Boon KL, Stegeman DF (1978) A study of the motor unit action potential by means of computer simulation. Biol Cybern 30:221–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller-Larsson A (1980) A model of spatial distribution of muscle fibres of a motor unit in normal human limb muscles. Electromyogr Clin Neurophysiol 20:281–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Shenhav R, Gath I (1985) Simulation of the spatial distribution of muscle fibres in human motor units (to be published)

  • Stålberg E, Thile B (1975) Motor unit fibre density in the extensor digitorum communis muscle. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiat 38:874–880

    Google Scholar 

  • Stålberg E, Trontelj J (1979) Single fibre electromyography. The Mirvalle Press, Surrey, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Stålberg E, Schwartz M, Thile B, Schiller H (1976) The normal motor unit in man. J Neurol Sci 27:291–301

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gath, I., Shenhav, R. Probabilistic model of the spatial distribution of muscle fibres in human muscles. Biol. Cybern. 53, 73–78 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337024

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00337024

Keywords

Navigation