Intrinsic motoneuron excitability is reduced in soleus and tibialis anterior of older adults

Abstract

Age-related deterioration within both motoneuron and monoaminergic systems should theoretically reduce neuromodulation by weakening motoneuronal persistent inward current (PIC) amplitude. However, this assumption remains untested. Surface electromyographic signals were collected using two 32-channel electrode matrices placed on soleus and tibialis anterior of 25 older adults (70 ± 4 years) and 17 young adults (29 ± 5 years) to investigate motor unit discharge behaviors. Participants performed triangular-shaped plantar and dorsiflexion contractions to 20% of maximum torque at a rise-decline rate of 2%/s of each participant’s maximal torque. Pairwise and composite paired-motor unit analyses were adopted to calculate delta frequency (ΔF), which has been used to differentiate between the effects of synaptic excitation and intrinsic motoneuronal properties and is assumed to be proportional to PIC amplitude. Soleus and tibialis anterior motor units in older adults had lower ΔFs calculated with either the pairwise [-0.99 and -1.46 pps; -35.4 and -33.5%, respectively] or composite (-1.18 and -2.28 pps; -32.1 and -45.2%, respectively) methods. Their motor units also had lower peak discharge rates (-2.14 and -2.03 pps; -19.7 and -13.9%, respectively) and recruitment thresholds (-1.50 and -2.06% of maximum, respectively) than young adults. These results demonstrate reduced intrinsic motoneuron excitability during low-force contractions in older adults, likely mediated by decreases in the amplitude of persistent inward currents. Our findings might be explained by deterioration in the motoneuron or monoaminergic systems and could contribute to the decline in motor function during aging; these assumptions should be explicitly tested in future investigations.

Document Type

Journal Article

Date of Publication

2021

Volume

43

Issue

6

Publication Title

GeroScience

Publisher

Springer

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences

RAS ID

40496

Comments

Orssatto, L. B. R., Borg, D. N., Blazevich, A. J., Sakugawa, R. L., Shield, A. J., & Trajano, G. S. (2021). Intrinsic motoneuron excitability is reduced in soleus and tibialis anterior of older adults. GeroScience, 43(6), 2719-2735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-021-00478-z

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free_to_read

First Page

2719

Last Page

2735

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1007/s11357-021-00478-z