D8 Electrography

Title

D8 describes needle or surface electromyography in birds as a method to directly observe pectoralis muscle activation during flight. It is the only method that accesses the actuator level (E4, E14) instead of inferring it from the trajectory or respiration. The implantable electrodes record the burst of electrical activation for each shake cycle; From this signal, four independent diagnostic variables are extracted: the RMS amplitude (proportional to the force developed), the onset latency with respect to a stimulus (_neuro, diagnosis of A8), the fatigue index IF (drop in RMS per successive cycle, diagnosis of A4), and the median frequency of the spectrum (decreases in fatigue). Bilateral asynchrony between the left and right pectorals is the specific indicator of unilateral neural damage (A8) or asymmetric muscle damage (unilateral A4), and produces the same support imbalance as A3 but through a neuromuscular mechanism.

ID:4228