Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications
Title
Effect of very old age on anconeus motor unit loss and compensatory remodelling
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2018
Issue
4
Journal
Muscle & Nerve
Volume
57
First Page
659
Last Page
663
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1002/mus.25982
Abstract
Introduction: It is not known how the process of compensatory remodeling through collateral reinnervation continues into very old age (>80 years) or whether there is a limit to effective motor unit (MU) reinnervation. Therefore, we explore electrophysiological properties related to motor unit number estimates (MUNEs) in very old participants (79-90 years of age) compared with young controls (25-29 years of age). Methods: Decomposition-enhanced spike-triggered averaging was used to collect surface and intramuscular electromyography information from the anconeus to derive a MUNE. Results: Young participants had a MUNE of approximate to 38 and approximate to 25 at 30% and 50% root mean squared maximum voluntary contraction (RMSMVC) with surface motor unit potentials (S-MUPs) of approximate to 145V and 236V, respectively. Older participants had a MUNE of approximate to 23 and approximate to 16 at 30% and 50% RMSMVC with S-MUPs of 168V and 232V, respectively. Discussion: In this muscle, an age limit to successful remodeling through collateral reinnervation, to compensate for the presumed ongoing losses of MUs, may have been surpassed. Muscle Nerve57: 659-663, 2018
