Lower limb skeletal muscle function after 6 wk of bed rest

1997 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. E. Berg ◽  
L. Larsson ◽  
P. A. Tesch

Berg, H. E., L. Larsson, and P. A. Tesch. Lower limb skeletal muscle function after 6 wk of bed rest. J. Appl. Physiol. 82(1): 182–188, 1997.—Force, electromyographic (EMG) activity, muscle mass, and fiber characteristics were studied in seven healthy men before and after 6 wk of bed rest. Maximum voluntary isometric and concentric knee extensor torque decreased ( P < 0.05) uniformly across angular velocities by 25–30% after bed rest. Maximum quadricep rectified EMG decreased by 19 ± 23%, whereas submaximum (100-Nm isometric action) EMG increased by 44 ± 28%. Knee extensor muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), assessed by using magnetic resonance imaging, decreased by 14 ± 4%. Maximum torque per knee extensor CSA decreased by 13 ± 9%. Vastus lateralis fiber CSA decreased 18 ± 14%. Neither type I, IIA, and IIB fiber percentages nor their relative proportions of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms were altered after bed rest. Because the decline in strength could not be entirely accounted for by decreased muscle CSA, it is suggested that the strength loss is also due to factors resulting in decreased neural input to muscle and/or reduced specific tension of muscle, as evidenced by a decreased torque/EMG ratio. Additionally, it is concluded that muscle unloading in humans does not induce important changes in fiber type or MHC composition or in vivo muscle contractile properties.

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 364-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lothar Stein ◽  
Constanze Pacht ◽  
Sibylle Junge ◽  
Tobias S. Kaeding ◽  
Momme Kück ◽  
...  

Purpose:Defects in the gene encoding the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) cause CF. Absence of the CFTR may result in skeletal muscle dysfunction. Here, we tested skeletal muscle function in male adolescent patients with CF.Methods:Ten CF and 10 control participants (age: 16.8 ± 0.6 years) performed 7 repetitive sets of maximum voluntary contractions (MVCs) and underwent an isometric fatigue test of the knee extensors. Electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from the m. vastus lateralis (VL) and m. vastus medialis (VM).Results:In CF, the MVC torque was lower and correlated with the predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (r = .73, p = .012, n = 10). The M-wave in the VL was shorter in CF than in controls (18.6 ± 0.5 vs. 20.3 ± 0.5 ms, p < .028). In the VM, both the M-wave (4.96 ± 0.61 vs. 7.97 ± 0.60 mV, p = .001) and the EMG (0.29 ± 0.04 vs. 0.47 ± 0.04 mV, p = .004) amplitudes were smaller in CF.Conclusion:The differences in the VL and VM EMG signals between the groups indicate that the lower MVC torque in CF did not result from the direct impact of a CFTR defect on the sarcolemmal excitability; the differences more likely resulted from the less developed musculature in the patients with CF.


1998 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald T. Kirkendall ◽  
William E. Garrett

Aging results in a gradual loss of muscle function, and there are predictable age-related alterations in skeletal muscle function. The typical adult will lose muscle mass with age; the loss varies according to sex and the level of muscle activity. At the cellular level, muscles loose both cross-sectional area and fiber numbers, with type II muscle fibers being the most affected by aging. Some denervation of fibers may occur. The combination of these factors leads to an increased percentage of type I fibers in older adults. Metabolically, the glycolytic enzymes seem to be little affected by aging, but the aerobic enzymes appear to decline with age. Aged skeletal muscle produces less force and there is a general “slowing” of the mechanical characteristics of muscle. However, neither reduced muscle demand nor the subsequent loss of function is inevitable with aging. These losses can be minimized or even reversed with training. Endurance training can improve the aerobic capacity of muscle, and resistance training can improve central nervous system recruitment of muscle and increase muscle mass. Therefore, physical activity throughout life is encouraged to prevent much of the age-related impact on skeletal muscle.


2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1379-1384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinead C. Barry ◽  
Charles G. Gallagher

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have reduced peripheral muscle strength. We tested the hypothesis that steroid treatment contributes to muscle weakness in adults with CF. Twenty-three stable CF patients were studied. Measurements included knee extensor (KE), knee flexor (KF), elbow flexor (EF), handgrip (HG), expiratory (Pemax), and inspiratory (Pimax) muscle strengths. Spirometry, body mass index (BMI), and days spent in hospital over the preceding 12 mo (DH) were also measured. Average daily dose of prednisolone over the preceding 12 mo (ADD) was 5.1 mg/day. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that ADD correlated significantly with skeletal muscle strengths (KF%, r = -0.63, P < 0.01) with the exception of HG%. These findings are independent of age, BMI, pulmonary function, and DH. Multiple-regression analysis revealed that ADD was the most significant predictor of all measures of skeletal muscle function except HG%. It was independently responsible for 54% of the variance in Pimax%, for 46% of the variance in Pemax%, for 45% of the variance in KE%, for 39% of the variance in KF%, and for 41% of the variance in EF%. Concomitant medications (e.g., theophylline) were shown to have no causative effect. Corticosteroids contribute to the skeletal muscle weakness seen in CF patients. The correlation of proximal muscle strength, but not HG strength, with steroid dosage further supports a cause-effect relationship.


2003 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 491-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris M. Gregory ◽  
Krista Vandenborne ◽  
Michael J. Castro ◽  
G. Alton Dudley

Results of studies of rodent skeletal muscle plasticity are often extrapolated to humans. However, responses to "disuse" may be species specific, in part because of different inherent properties of anatomically similar muscles. Thus, this study quantified human and rat m. vastus lateralis (VL) fiber adaptations to 11 weeks of spinal cord injury (SCI). The m. VL was taken from 8 young (54 d) male Charles River rats after T-9 laminectomy (n = 4) or sham surgery (n = 4). In addition, the m. VL was biopsied in 7 able-bodied and in 7 SCI humans (31.3 ± 4.7 years, mean ± SE). Samples were sectioned and fibers were analyzed for type (I, IIa, IIb/x), cross-sectional area (CSA), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), α-glycerol-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), and actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase (qATPase) activities. Rat fibers had 1.5- to 2-fold greater SDH and GPDH activities while their fibers were 60% the size of those in humans. The most striking differences, however, were the absence of slow fibers in the rat and its four-fold greater proportion of IIb/x fibers (80% vs. 16% of the CSA) compared to humans. SCI decreased SDH activity more in rats whereas atrophy and IIa to IIb/x fiber shift occurred to a greater extent in humans. It is suggested that the rat is a reasonable model for studying the predominant response to SCI, atrophy. However, its high proportion of IIb/x fibers limits evaluation of the mechanical consequences of shifting to "faster" contractile machinery after SCI. Key words: enzyme, fiber type, disuse, biopsy


2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 1130-1136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eivind Brønstad ◽  
Øivind Rognmo ◽  
Arnt Erik Tjonna ◽  
Hans Henrich Dedichen ◽  
Idar Kirkeby-Garstad ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 932-940 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tertius A. Kohn ◽  
Birgitta Essén-Gustavsson ◽  
Kathryn H. Myburgh

Although East African black athletes dominate endurance running events, it is unknown whether black and white endurance runners with similar racing ability, matched for training, may differ in their skeletal muscle biochemical phenotype. Thirteen Xhosa (XR) and 13 Caucasian (CR) endurance runners were recruited and matched for 10-km performance, average preferred racing distance (PRDA), and training volume. Submaximal and maximal exercise tests were done, and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were taken. XR were significantly lighter and shorter than CR athletes but had similar maximum oxygen consumption corrected for body weight and peak treadmill speed (PTS). XR had lower plasma lactate concentrations at 80% PTS ( P < 0.05) compared with CR. Also, XR had more type IIA (42.4 ± 9.2 vs. 31.3 ± 11.5%, P < 0.05) and less type I fibers (47.8 ± 10.9 vs. 63.1 ± 13.2%, P < 0.05), although oxidative enzyme activities did not differ. Furthermore, XR compared with CR had higher lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity in homogenate muscle samples (383 ± 99 vs. 229 ± 85 μmol·min−1·g dry weight−1, P < 0.05) and in both type IIa ( P < 0.05) and type I ( P = 0.05) single-fiber pools. A marked difference ( P < 0.05) in the composition of LDH isoform content was found between the two groups with XR having higher levels of LDH5-4 isoforms (skeletal muscle isozymes; LDH-M) than CR, which was not accounted for by fiber-type differences alone. These results confirm differences in muscle phenotype and physiological characteristics, particularly associated with high-intensity running.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priya Balasubramanian ◽  
Anne E Schaar ◽  
Grace E Gustafson ◽  
Alex B Smith ◽  
Porsha R Howell ◽  
...  

The loss of skeletal muscle function with age, known as sarcopenia, significantly reduces independence and quality of life and can have significant metabolic consequences. Although exercise is effective in treating sarcopenia it is not always a viable option clinically, and currently there are no pharmacological therapeutic interventions for sarcopenia. Here we show that chronic treatment with pan-adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon improved muscle function in male mice by a mechanism linked to skeletal muscle metabolism and tissue remodeling. In aged mice, 6 weeks of AdipoRon treatment improved skeletal muscle functional measures in vivo and ex vivo. Improvements were linked to changes in fiber type, including an enrichment of oxidative fibers, and an increase in mitochondrial activity. In young mice, 6 weeks of AdipoRon treatment improved contractile force and activated the energy sensing kinase AMPK and the mitochondrial regulator PGC-1a (peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha). In cultured cells, the AdipoRon induced stimulation of AMPK and PGC-1a was associated with increased mitochondrial membrane potential, reorganization of mitochondrial architecture, increased respiration, and increased ATP production. Furthermore, the ability of AdipoRon to stimulate AMPK and PGC1a was conserved in nonhuman primate cultured cells. These data show that AdipoRon is an effective agent for the prevention of sarcopenia in mice and indicate that its effects translate to primates, suggesting it may also be a suitable therapeutic for sarcopenia in clinical application.


Author(s):  
Oscar Horwath ◽  
Helena Envall ◽  
Julia Röja ◽  
Eric Bengt Emanuelsson ◽  
Gema Sanz ◽  
...  

Human skeletal muscle characteristics such as fiber type composition, fiber size and myonuclear content are widely studied in clinical and sports related contexts. Being aware of the methodological and biological variability of the characteristics is a critical aspect in study design and outcome interpretation, but comprehensive data on the variability of morphological features in human skeletal muscle is currently limited. Accordingly, in the present study, m. vastus lateralis biopsies (10 per subject) from young and healthy individuals, collected in a systematic manner, were analyzed for various characteristics using immunohistochemistry (n=7) and SDS-PAGE (n=25). None of the analyzed parameters; fiber type % (FT%), type I and II CSA (fCSA), percentage fiber type area (fCSA%), myosin heavy chain composition (MyHC%), type IIX content, myonuclear content or myonuclear domain varied in a systematic manner longitudinally along the muscle or between the two legs. The average within subject coefficient of variation for FT%, fCSA, fCSA%, and MyHC% ranged between 13-18%, but was only 5% for fiber specific myonuclear content, which reduced the variability for myonuclear domain size to 11-12%. Pure type IIX fibers and type IIX MyHC were randomly distributed and present in <24% of the analyzed samples, with the average content being 0.1 and 1.1%, respectively. In conclusion, leg or longitudinal orientation does not seem to be an important aspect to consider when investigating human vastus lateralis characteristics. However, single muscle biopsies should preferably not be used when studying fiber type and fiber size related aspects given the notable sample to sample variability.


2015 ◽  
Vol 215 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Venturelli ◽  
P. Saggin ◽  
E. Muti ◽  
F. Naro ◽  
L. Cancellara ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (1) ◽  
pp. C34-C44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan Luo ◽  
Sophie Edwards ◽  
Benoit Smeuninx ◽  
James McKendry ◽  
Yusuke Nishimura ◽  
...  

The role of dysregulated intracellular creatine (Cr) metabolism in disuse atrophy is unknown. In this study, skeletal muscle biopsy samples were obtained after 7 days of unilateral leg immobilization (IMMOB) and from the nonimmobilized control limb (CTRL) of 15 healthy men (23.1 ± 3.5 yr). Samples were analyzed for fiber type cross-sectional area (CSA) and creatine transporter (CreaT) at the cell membrane periphery (MEM) or intracellular (INT) areas, via immunofluorescence microscopy. Creatine kinase (CK) and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) were determined via immunoblot. Phosphocreatine (PCr), Cr, and ATP were measured via enzymatic analysis. Body composition and maximal isometric knee extensor strength were assessed before and after disuse. Leg strength and fat-free mass were reduced in IMMOB (~32% and 4%, respectively; P < 0.01 for both). Type II fiber CSA was smaller (~12%; P = 0.028) and intramuscular PCr lower (~13%; P = 0.015) in IMMOB vs. CTRL. CreaT protein was greater in type I fibers in both limbs ( P < 0.01). CreaT was greater in IMMOB vs. CTRL ( P < 0.01) and inversely associated with PCr concentration in both limbs ( P < 0.05). MEM CreaT was greater than INT CreaT in type I and II fibers of both limbs (~14% for both; P < 0.01 for both). Type I fiber CreaT tended to be greater in IMMOB vs. CTRL ( P = 0.074). CK was greater and phospho-to-total AMPKThr172 tended to be greater, in IMMOB vs. CTRL ( P = 0.013 and 0.051, respectively). These findings suggest that modulation of intracellular Cr metabolism is an adaptive response to immobilization in young healthy skeletal muscle.


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