In the "Object" tab of your emitter change the shape to object and change "Emit From" to edges.
After reading your original post I think I misunderstood your question...so how about converting the edges of your object to a spline and using xpFollowSpline?
The Activity Monitor on my MbP is flat when visiting CGTalk on Chrome but skyrockets to over 400% CPU usage while using Safari. Very strange. I don't have FF installed.
Great resources teknow, thank you for sharing!
I have been looking for a model of a brain that I can texture and animate...any idea if there is one in there?