EMG-Assessed Paratonia: A New Approach to Response Inhibition

August 23, 2024 updated by: Luca Puce, Universita degli Studi di Genova

EMG-Assessed Paratonia: A Novel Approach to Investigating Motor Response Inhibition in Healthy Subjects

Paratonia is the inability to relax muscles during the assessment of muscle tone in the absence of spasticity and parkinsonian rigidity. It can be evaluated qualitatively using clinical scales and objectively through surface electromyography (EMG-assessed paratonia). It is widely accepted that paratonia represents a manifestation of impaired motor response inhibition due to frontal lobe dysfunction.

Traditionally, motor response inhibition has been assessed using experimental protocols such as go/no-go and stop-signal tasks. Research has shown that athletes, particularly those engaged in open-skill sports, demonstrate superior motor response inhibition compared to sedentary individuals. Even amateur athletes exhibit better motor response inhibition than sedentary individuals, though to a lesser extent than professional athletes.

Given that the etiology of paratonia involves a defect in motor response inhibition, it is hypothesized that EMG-assessed paratonia could become a novel approach for evaluating motor response inhibition. The present study was designed to validate this hypothesis. Specifically, we first tested whether EMG-assessed paratonia in healthy subjects can reveal a well-known aspect of motor response inhibition, namely its correlation with the level of physical activity.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

EMG-assessed paratonia was analyzed and compared to assess motor response efficiency in three groups of healthy young adults with different levels of physical activity: professional athletes engaged in closed and open skills sports, amateurs, and sedentary individuals. To analyze EMG-assessed paratonia, two surface electrodes were attached to the biceps and triceps brachii muscles during passive flexion-extension movements of the elbow while the participant remained in a state of maximum relaxation. Any EMG activity detected during these movements was attributed to an inability to relax, thereby reflecting their degree of paratonia.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

120

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
      • Genova, Italy, 16122
        • Università degli Studi di Genova

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Sedentary Individuals: Defined as those engaging in less than 16.67 metabolic equivalent of task (MET) hours per week.

Amateur Athletes: Defined as individuals who engage in 16.67 to 25 MET hours per week.

Professional Athletes: Defined as individuals who engage in more than 25 MET hours per week.

Exclusion Criteria:

Presence of any pathology or pain in the flexor or extensor muscles of the arm. Use of muscle stimulants, relaxants, steroids, tobacco, alcohol, or any other drugs.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: EMG-assessed paratonia group
The study evaluated EMG-assessed paratonia to measure motor response efficiency across three groups of healthy young adults with varying physical activity levels: professional athletes (in both open and closed skills sports), amateurs, and sedentary individuals. Surface electrodes were placed on the biceps and triceps brachii muscles during passive elbow movements while participants remained relaxed. EMG activity detected during these movements was used to quantify the level of paratonia, indicating the participants' ability to relax their muscles.
Diagnostic test: EMG-based assessment of paratonia
EMG-assessed paratonia was analyzed and compared to assess motor response efficiency in three groups of healthy young adults with different levels of physical activity: professional athletes engaged in closed and open skills sports, amateurs, and sedentary individuals. To analyze EMG-assessed paratonia, two surface electrodes were attached to the biceps and triceps brachii muscles during passive flexion-extension movements of the elbow while the participant remained in a state of maximum relaxation. Any EMG activity detected during these movements was attributed to an inability to relax, thereby reflecting their degree of paratonia.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neuromuscular excitation of the Biceps Brachii (paratonia assessed by EMG) during passive elbow flexion and extension
Time Frame: Throughout the duration of the evaluation, which lasts about 120 seconds
Amplitude of electromyography value (Root Mean Square in microvolt) measured for Biceps Brachii muscle
Throughout the duration of the evaluation, which lasts about 120 seconds
Neuromuscular excitation of the Triceps Brachii (paratonia assessed by EMG) during passive elbow flexion and extension
Time Frame: Throughout the duration of the evaluation, which lasts about 120 seconds
Amplitude of electromyography value (Root Mean Square in microvolt) measured for Triceps Brachii muscle
Throughout the duration of the evaluation, which lasts about 120 seconds

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universita degli Studi di Genova

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 18, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 18, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

July 23, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 23, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 23, 2024

First Posted (Actual)

August 27, 2024

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 27, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 23, 2024

Last Verified

August 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • EMG-DINOGMI-2024

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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