TERMINAL NERVE BRANCH ENTRIES (MOTOR POINTS) OF FOREARM MUSCLES - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY BETWEEN MONKEY AND HUMAN

A study of the number of muscles, the nerve branches innervating them and number and distribution of the motor points was carried out on the forearm of the monkey (Macaca fascicularis) and human. There were 8 f lexor muscles and 11 extensor muscles in the human, while there were 7 flexors and 12 extensors in the monkey. The distribution of the branc hes of the median, ulnar and radial nerves were similar in both specie s. The number of motor points and their distribution in the flexor and extensor muscles also showed considerable similarity between the two species. The monkey is a suitable experimental animal model for the st udy of the clinical application of functional electrical stimulation o f the paralyzed forearm and hand of patients with upper motor neuron l esions.