Electromyography for Experimentalists

Book excerpt: The technique of electromyography, used to study the electrical currents generated by muscle action, has become invaluable to researchers in the biological, medical, and behavioral sciences. With it, the scientist can study the role of muscles in producing and controlling limb movement, eating, breathing, posture, vocalizations, and the manipulation of objects. However, many electromyographic techniques were developed in the clinical study of humans and are inappropriate for use in research on other organisms--tadpoles, for example. This book, a complete and very practical hands-on guide to the theoretical and experimental requirements of electromyography, takes into account the needs of researchers across the sciences.