Motor unit activation properties in elderly and its adaptation to exercise training

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26750309
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sports science
• Research Institution: Chukyo University
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Kohei 中京大学, 国際教養学部, 准教授 (20630990)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 加齢 / 運動単位 / 筋電図

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We investigated motor unit (motoneuron) activation properties in elderly in order to clarify the mechanisms of age-related muscle strength loss. Our study with new developed method, i.e. multi-channel surface electromyography, showed a characteristic motor unit activation properties in elderly subjects comparing with young subjects. Also, motor unit activation properties were significantly correlated with maximal force in elderly subjects, but not in young subjects. These results suggest that the motor unit activation properties also contribute to age-related muscle strength loss.

Free Research Field

運動生理学