Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Research Scholarships - Master's program

Every time you go to take a step or simply scroll through social media, your brain sends an electrical signal that activates motor units, which are comprised of a motoneuron and the group of muscle fibers it innervates. Coordinated activation of motor units allows the body to produce smooth, controlled movement, and their electrical activity can be recorded non-invasively using a technique called high-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG), leveraging multiple channel recording sites on an electrode grid. Think of HDsEMG as microphones in a room full of people – the more microphones there are, as well as the closer together they are, will determine whether each conversation can be recorded effectively. This is important to understand the full story, and in the case of HDsEMG, how the nervous system controls our muscles. Previous studies have made electrode configuration advancements to improve motor unit identification in males, but the problem is that HDsEMG hasn’t worked as well for females. Historically, motor units in females have been harder to identify using this technique, and because of this, females have been largely underrepresented in research. This is a major concern, especially since motor unit biomarkers are now being used for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) to identify changes in motor unit activity, which could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment planning. Therefore, this study assesses whether a larger, denser electrode grid configuration can improve motor unit identification in females, just as it did for males. The results from this study can then be used to develop a better technique to aid in female motor unit recordings, increasing the accuracy, inclusivity and usefulness of motor unit research for females.