EMG analysis and correlates of motor segmentation in Parkinson's disease

When people with Parkinson's (PwPD) perform rapid contractions, electromyography (EMG) reveals disease-related changes, including reduced initial EMG, and excess bursts. Similarly, isometric force recordings identify reduced rates of force development (RFD), and transient RFD reductions, measured as increased zero crossings in the second time-derivative of force (F"(t), segmentation). Since tremor can obscure EMG burst onset, force analysis may be simpler. We compared EMG between healthy adults (OA) and PwPD, and quantified relationships between EMG and force measures in PwPD. Twelve OA and 16 PwPD on medication produced rapid isometric index finger abduction contractions to 40% maximal force while EMG was recorded from the first dorsal interosseous. Force measures included peak RFD (RFDpk) in the first segment, and the number of segments to peak force. EMG measures included the first burst amplitude, and the number of bursts. PwPD had reduced RFDpk and first burst amplitude, and more force segments and EMG bursts compared to OA (p ≤ 0.001). Correlations indicated significant relationships between the number of EMG bursts and force segments (ρ = 0.84), and between RFDpk and initial EMG amplitude (ρ = 0.83). Thus, one may consider using force-based measures of motor segmentation in lieu of surface EMG to study segmentation in PwPD.