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 flexor muscles and 11 extensor muscles in the human, while there were 7 flexors and 12 extensors in the monkey. The distribution of the branches of the median, ulnar and radial nerves were similar in both species. 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 study of the clinical application of functional electrical stimulation of the paralyzed forearm and hand of patients with upper motor neuron lesions.