Electrophysiological studies of muscles in the human upper limb: the biceps brachii

Abstract

The biceps brachii (BB) belongs to elbow flexors. However, because the BB acts not only as the flexor, but also as a forearm supinator in humans, its activities are much different from those of the other flexors (the brachialis and brachioradialis: BR and BRR, respectively). The present paper describes unique characteristics of the BB that emerged from recent studies using electrophysiological techniques (i.e. electromyography (EMG), electrical neuromuscular stimulation (ENS), Hoffmann (H)-reflex and post-stimulus time-histogram (PSTH)) in normal human subjects. The EMG studies have shown reciprocal contractions between the BB and the other flexors during forearm pronation/supination movements. Comparisons of EMG activities of the flexors between the pronated and supinated positions of the forearm have indicated clear differences of contraction properties between the BB and the other flexors. The ENS studies have shown that reciprocal activation between the BB and BRR following stimulation can produce a motion of supination with maintenance of flexion. This finding supports the theory that the reciprocal contractions should occur to keep constant force in flexion for supporting weight below the elbow. Studies using H-reflex and PSTH techniques have shown neural connections, which are spinal reflex arcs modulating motoneuron excitabilities with excitatory and inhibitory inputs from low-threshold muscle afferent fibers, among muscles in the human upper limb. These studies have demonstrated inhibitory neural connections between the BB and BRR. Moreover it has been shown that the connections concerning the BB differ from those concerning the BRR. Several reports have shown differences in connections between humans and animals. Therefore, the BB in humans has been compared with that in animals.