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01-07-2007 | Original Article

Deterioration of contractile properties of muscle fibres in elderly subjects is modulated by the level of physical activity

Authors: Giuseppe D’Antona, Maria Antonietta Pellegrino, Carmine Naccari Carlizzi, Roberto Bottinelli

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 5/2007

Abstract

The impact of ageing on force and velocity of human skeletal muscle fibres has been extensively studied. As discrepancies have been reported, it is still unclear whether or not a deterioration of the capacity of muscle fibres to develop force and shortening is involved in determining weakness and decrease in shortening velocity of skeletal muscle of elderly people. We compared myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform distribution of vastus lateralis muscle, and specific force (Po/CSA) and maximum shortening velocity (Vo) of skeletal muscle fibres among one population of young controls (CTRL) and three populations of elderly (EL) subjects with very variable levels of physical activity: sedentary (EL-SED, n = 3); controls (EL-CTRL, n = 4); endurance trained (EL-END, n = 3). Muscle phenotype was progressively faster in the order EL-END → CTRL → EL-CTRL → EL-SED. Po/CSA and Vo also varied among the different populations of elderly subjects generally showing a decreasing deterioration with increasing activity levels. The results suggest that discrepancies observed so far in age-induced deterioration of contractile properties of muscle fibres could depend on the different activity levels of the populations of elderly subjects enrolled in the studies.

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Title: Deterioration of contractile properties of muscle fibres in elderly subjects is modulated by the level of physical activity
Authors: Giuseppe D’Antona
Maria Antonietta Pellegrino
Carmine Naccari Carlizzi
Roberto Bottinelli
Publication date: 01-07-2007
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 5/2007
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0402-2

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