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Biology of Muscle Atrophy and of its Recovery by FES in Aging and Mobility Impairments: Roots and By-Products.
Abstract: There is something in our genome that dictates life expectancy and there is nothing that can be done to avoid this; indeed, there is not yet any record of a person who has cheated death. Our physical prowess can vacillate substantially in our lifetime according to our activity levels and nutritional status and we may fight aging, but we will inevitably lose. We have presented strong evidence that the atrophy which accompanies aging is to some extent caused by loss of innervation. We compared muscle biopsies of sedentary seniors to those of life long active seniors, and show that these groups indeed have a different distribution of muscle fiber diameter and fiber type. The senior sportsmen have many more slow fiber-type groupings than the sedentary people which provides strong evidence of denervation-reinnervation events in muscle fibers. It appears that activity maintains the motoneurons and the muscle fibers. Premature or accelerated aging of muscle may occur as the result of many chronic diseases. One extreme case is provided by irreversible damage of the Conus and Cauda Equina, a spinal cord injury (SCI) sequela in which the human leg muscles may be completely and permanently disconnected from the nervous system with the almost complete disappearance of muscle fibers within 3-5 years from SCI. In cases of this extreme example of muscle degeneration, we have used 2D Muscle Color CT to gather data supporting the idea that electrical stimulation of denervated muscles can retain and even regain muscle. We show here that, if people are compliant, atrophy can be reversed. A further example of activity-related muscle adaptation is provided by the fact that mitochondrial distribution and density are significantly changed by functional electrical stimulation in horse muscle biopsies relative to those not receiving treatment. All together, the data indicate that FES is a good way to modify behaviors of muscle fibers by increasing the contraction load per day. Indeed, it should be possible to defer the muscle decline that occurs in aging people and in those who have become unable to participate in physical activities. Thus, FES should be considered for use in rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities and in critical care units when patients are completely inactive even for short periods of time.
Publication Date: 2015-08-25 PubMed ID: 26913160PubMed Central: PMC4748978DOI: 10.4081/ejtm.2015.5272Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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The research article covers the topic of muscle atrophy due to aging and mobility impairments, and how it can potentially be counteracted by Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES). The study presents evidence showing that muscle atrophy can be partly attributed to loss of innervation, and that FES can be used to maintain and potentially regain muscle mass, even in extreme cases of muscle degeneration.
Advanced Understanding of Muscle Atrophy
- The research investigates the process of muscle atrophy, the wasting or loss of muscle tissue, especially as a result of aging or lack of physical activity. It argues that aging inevitably leads to physical decline, including muscle atrophy.
- The researchers conducted a comparison study between muscle biopsies of sedentary seniors and those of actives seniors. The findings showed that the two groups have different muscle fiber diameters and types. The active seniors had more slow fibers, suggesting that physical activity preserves the neurons and muscle fibers.
Case Study of Extreme Muscle Degeneration
- An extreme case of irreversible muscle damage was examined to investigate severe muscle degeneration. This was found in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI), which caused almost complete muscle fiber disappearance within 3-5 years.
- The researchers used 2D Muscle Color CT scans to study the denervated muscles. They found that electrical stimulation retained and even regained muscle in these severely damaged muscles.
Impact of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES)
- The research usefully introduces FES as an approach to treat muscle atrophy. This technique stimulates muscles through electrical currents, leading to muscle contraction, which is shown to help maintain and regain muscle mass.
- The research also showed that mitochondrial distribution and density are significantly affected by FES treatment, which further supports the idea of using FES as a treatment for muscle atrophy.
Applications and Implications of FES
- The researchers argue that FES could be used to slow or delay muscle decline in aging individuals and those who are unable to engage in physical activity. Thus, it’s suggested for use in rehabilitation centres, nursing facilities, and critical care units, especially for patients who are inactive for prolonged periods.
- The research indicates the potential of FES to modify behaviors of muscle fibers by increasing daily contraction load, providing hope for a better understanding and treatment of muscle atrophy related to aging and disabilities.
Cite This Article
APA
Carraro U, Kern H, Gava P, Hofer C, Loefler S, Gargiulo P, Mosole S, Zampieri S, Gobbo V, Ravara B, Piccione F, Marcante A, Baba A, Schils S, Pond A, Gava F.
(2015).
Biology of Muscle Atrophy and of its Recovery by FES in Aging and Mobility Impairments: Roots and By-Products.
Eur J Transl Myol, 25(4), 221-230.
https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2015.5272 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- IRRCS Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo, Venezia, Italy; Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, Italy.
- Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital, Vienna, Austria; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.
- Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova , Italy.
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna, Austria.
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna, Austria.
- Institute for Biomedical and Neural Engineering, Reykjavík, Iceland; Landspítali, Reykjavík, Iceland.
- Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, Italy; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.
- Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, Italy; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.
- C.N.R. Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova , Italy.
- Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, Italy; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.
- IRRCS Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo , Venezia, Italy.
- IRRCS Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo , Venezia, Italy.
- IRRCS Fondazione Ospedale San Camillo , Venezia, Italy.
- EquiNew, 8139 900th Street , River Falls, WI, USA.
- Anatomy Department, Southern Illinois University, School of Medicine , Carbondale, Illinois, USA.
- Laboratory of Translational Myology of the Interdepartmental Research Center of Myology, Department of Biomedical Science, University of Padova, Italy; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation, Vienna, Austria.
Grant Funding
- R03 AR053706 / NIAMS NIH HHS
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