Feature selection for motor unit potential train characterization

Abstract

Ten new features of motor unit potential (MUP) morphology and stability are proposed. These new features, along with 8 traditional features, are grouped into 5 aspects: size, shape, global complexity, local complexity, and stability. We used sequential forward and backward search strategies to select subsets of these 18 features to discriminate accurately between muscles whose MUPs are predominantly neurogenic, myopathic, or normal. Results based on 8102 motor unit potential trains (MUPTs) extracted from 4 different limb muscles (n = 336 total muscles) demonstrate the usefulness of these newly introduced features and support an aspect-based grouping of MUPT features.