Comparison of gluteus medius muscle activity in Haflinger and Noriker horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy.
Abstract: Type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy caused by genetic mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 gene is present in many breeds including the Noriker and Haflinger horses. In humans, EMG has already been used to document changes in the muscle activity patterns of patients affected by human glycogen storage disorders. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to describe gluteus muscle activity with surface electromyography (sEMG) in Haflinger and Noriker horses with known GYS1 mutation status during walk and trot. Thirty-two horses (11 Haflinger and 21 Noriker horses) with homozygous non-affected (GG), heterozygous affected (GA) and homozygous affected (AA) status of GYS1 mutation without overt clinical signs of any myopathy were selected for the current study. Using surface electromyography gluteus medius muscle activity at walk and at trot was measured, and muscle activity was described in relation to the maximum observed value at the same sensor and the same gait. In order to further describe the signals in detail comprising both frequencies and amplitudes, the crossings through the baseline and the 25, 50 and 75 percentile lines were determined. The result of the relative muscle activity did not show a consistent difference between affected and non-affected horses. Genetically affected (GA and AA) horses showed significantly less density of muscle activity for both gaits and horse breeds except for the crossings per second at the baseline and 75 percentile at walk in the Haflinger horses and 75 percentile at trot in the Noriker horses. The medians of all calculated density values were significantly lower in the GA Haflingers compared to the GG Haflingers (p = 0.012) and also in the AA Norikers compared to the GG Norikers (p = 0.011). Results indicate that the GYS1 mutation reduces the number of functional muscle fibres detected by sEMG measurements even in the absence of overt clinical signs.
© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Publication Date: 2021-02-20 PubMed ID: 33609063PubMed Central: PMC9291294DOI: 10.1111/jpn.13504Google 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
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research study investigates the activity of gluteus medius muscle in Haflinger and Noriker horses with the GYS1 mutation causing type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy using surface electromyography (sEMG). The researchers found no consistent difference between affected and non-affected horses in relative muscle activity, but genetically affected horses showed less dense muscle activity, suggesting that the mutation reduces the number of functional muscle fibres even without visible clinical signs.
Research Objectives and Methods
- The study aimed to describe gluteus medius muscle activity using sEMG in horses from two breeds, Haflinger and Noriker, known to possess the GYS1 mutation causing type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy.
- The authors targeted both walking and trotting movements and tracked muscle activity relative to the highest observed value at the same sensor and gait.
- Studies included a total of 32 horses (11 Haflinger and 21 Noriker horses) at various stages of the GYS1 mutation, namely homozygous non-affected (GG), heterozygous affected (GA), and homozygous affected (AA).
- Additionally, the signals were thoroughly analyzed by recording crossings through the baseline and the 25, 50, and 75 percentile lines to account for frequency and amplitude variations.
Results and Interpretation
- Upon evaluation, the relative muscle activity showed no consistent variations between affected and non-affected horses. However, the genetically affected (GA and AA) horses displayed significantly less muscle activity density for both gaits and horse breeds, barring a few exceptions.
- The median values for muscle activity density were notably lower in the GA Haflinger horses compared to the GG Haflinger horses, and the same trend was observed between the AA and GG Noriker horses.
- Despite the absence of explicit clinical signs, the results suggested that the GYS1 mutation reduces the number of functional muscle fibres, which is evident from the sEMG recordings.
Implications of Findings
- The study underscores the impact of the GYS1 mutation on muscle activity in horses, even in the absence of overt clinical signs.
- This research might contribute significantly to our understanding of genetic disorders in horses, potentially aiding in early detection, treatment strategies, and management of polysaccharide storage myopathy in affected horse breeds.
Cite This Article
APA
Zsoldos RR, Khayatzadeh N, Soelkner J, Schroeder U, Hahn C, Licka TF.
(2021).
Comparison of gluteus medius muscle activity in Haflinger and Noriker horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl), 105(3), 549-557.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13504 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Division Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld, Australia.
- Division Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Division Livestock Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
- Department for Companion Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease
- Horse Diseases / genetics
- Horses
- Humans
- Muscle, Skeletal
- Muscular Diseases / genetics
- Muscular Diseases / veterinary
- Polysaccharides
Grant Funding
- Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
- I1532-B23 / Austrian Science Fund
Conflict of Interest Statement
None of the authors of this paper has a financial or personal relationship with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias the content of the paper.
References
This article includes 25 references
- Baird JD, Valberg SJ, Anderson SM, McCue ME, Mickelson JR. Presence of the glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) mutation causing type 1 polysaccharide storage myopathy in continental European draught horse breeds. Veterinary Record 167, 781.
- Bruce V, Turek RJ. Muscle fibre variation in the gluteus medius of the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 17, 317–321.
- Bruno C, Servidei S, Shanske S, Karpati G, Carpenter S, McKee D, Barohn RJ, Hirano M, Rifai Z, DiMauro S. Glycogen branching enzyme deficiency in adult polyglycosan body disease. Annals of Neurology 33, 88–93.
- Buchner HH, Savelberg HH, Schamhardt HC, Merkens HW, Barneveld A. Kinematics of treadmill versus overground locomotion in horses. Veterinary Quarterly 16, 87–90.
- Cornelio F, Bresolin N, Singer PA, DiMauro S, Rowland LP. Clinical varieties of neuromuscular disease in debrancher deficiency. Archives of Neurology 41, 1027–1032.
- Druml T, Baumung R, Sölkner J. Morphological analysis and effect of selection for conformation in the Noriker draught horse population. Livestock Science 115, 118–128.
- Druml T, Neuditschko M, Grilz‐Seger G, Horna M, Ricard A, Mesarič M, Cotman M, Pausch H, Brem G. Population networks associated with runs of homozygosity reveal new insights into the breeding history of the Haflinger horse. Journal of Heredity 109, 384–392.
- Grotmol S, Totland GK, Kryvi H, Breistøl A, Essén‐Gustavsson B, Lindholm A. Spatial distribution of fiber types within skeletal muscle fascicles from Standardbred horses. The Anatomical Record 268, 131–136.
- Jeub M, Kappes‐Horn K, Kornblum C, Fischer D. Spätmanifestation einer Polyglykosan‐ körpermyopathie. Nervenarzt 77, 1487–1491.
- Kienapfel K, Preuschoft H, Wulf A, Wagner H. The biomechanical construction of the horse's body and activity patterns of three important muscles of the trunk in the walk, trot and canter. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition 102, e818–e827.
- McCoy AM, Schaefer R, Petersen JL, Morrell PL, Slamka MA, Mickelson JR, Valberg SJ, McCue ME. Evidence of positive selection for a glycogen synthase (GYS1) mutation in domestic horse populations. Journal of Heredity 105, 163–172.
- McCue ME, Armien AG, Lucio M, Mickelson JR, Valberg SJ. Comparative skeletal muscle histopathologic and ultrastructural features in two forms of polysaccharide storage myopathy in horses. Veterinary Pathology 46, 1281–1291.
- McCue ME, Valberg SJ, Miller MB, Wade C, DiMauro S, Akman HO, Mickelson JR. Glycogen synthase (GYS1) mutation causes a novel skeletal muscle glycogenosis. Genomics 91, 458–466.
- Payne RC, Hutchinson JR, Robilliard JJ, Smith NC, Wilson AM. Functional specialisation of pelvic limb anatomy in horses (Equus caballus). Journal of Anatomy 206, 557–574.
- Pullman SL, Goodin DS, Marquinez AI, Tabbal S, Rubin M. Clinical utility of surface EMG report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 55, 171–177.
- Schroeder U, Licka TF, Zsoldos R, Hahn CN, MacIntyre N, Schwendenwein I, Schwarz B, van den Hoven R. Effect of diet on Haflinger horses with GYS1 mutation (Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy Type 1). Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 35, 598–605.
- St. George L, Roy SH, Richards J, Sinclair J, Hobbs SJ. Surface EMG signal normalisation and filtering improves sensitivity of equine gait analysis. Comparative Exercise Physiology 15, 173–185.
- St. George L, Williams JM. Electromyographic evaluation of approach stride, jump stride and intermediate stride in selected superficial muscles of the jumping horse: A preliminary study. Comparative Exercise Physiology 9, 23–32.
- Team RC. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. .
- Valberg SJ, McCue ME, Mickelson JR. The interplay of genetics, exercise, and nutrition in polysaccharide storage myopathy. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 31, 205–210.
- Valentine BA, Divers TJ, Ducharme NG, Orcutt RS. Clinical and pathologic findings in two draft horses with progressive muscle atrophy, neuromuscular weakness, and abnormal gait characteristic of shivers syndrome. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 215, 1661–1665.
- Venables WN, Ripley BD. Modern Applied Statistics with S. Fourth Edition. .
- Wijnberg ID, Back W, de Jong M, Zuidhof MC, van den Belt A, van der Kolk J. The role of electromyography in clinical diagnosis of neuromuscular locomotor problems in the horse. Equine Veterinary Journal 36, 718–722.
- Wijnberg ID, van der Kolk J, Franssen H, Breukink HJ. Needle electromyography in the horse compared with its principles in man: A review. Equine Veterinary Journal 35, 9–17.
- Zsoldos RR, Krüger B, Licka TF. From maturity to old age: Tasks of daily life require a different muscle use in horses. Comparative Exercise Physiology 10, 75.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
