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Comparison of the mass and amount of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles between patients with Parkinson’s disease and community-dwelling older adults

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Abstract

Objective

This study compared the masses and amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles, sagittal spinal alignment, and mobility and balance ability between patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and older adults.

Methods

This study included 26 older adults (control [CTR] group) and eight patients with PD (PD group). Muscle thicknesses and echo intensities of the trunk and lower extremity muscles were measured using an ultrasound imaging device. Sagittal spinal alignments in the standing and prone positions were assessed using a Spinal Mouse. Mobility capacity was assessed based on the measurements of usual and maximal walking speeds, timed up-and-go (TUG) time, and five-chair-stand time, while balance ability was assessed based on the measurement of one-legged stance (OLS) time.

Results

Our results showed significantly lower gluteus maximus and tibialis anterior muscle thicknesses, higher thickness of the short head of the biceps femoris muscle, and higher echo intensity of the gluteus maximus muscle in the PD group than in the CTR group. Lumbar lordosis angle in the standing position, usual and maximal walking speeds, and OLS time were significantly lower, while the TUG and five-chair-stand times were significantly higher in the PD group than in the CTR group. The other factors did not differ significantly between groups.

Conclusions

Our results revealed lower masses of the gluteus maximus and tibialis anterior muscles, higher mass of the short head of the biceps femoris muscle, and higher amounts of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the gluteus maximus muscle in patients with PD.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all of the individuals who participated in the present study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physical Therapy, Takasaki University of Health and Welfare, Gunma 501 Nakaorui-machi, Takasaki, 370-0033, Japan

    Mitsuhiro Masaki

  2. Department of Rehabilitation, Tsunoda Hospital, Gunma 675-4 Kamishinden, Tamamura-machi, Sawagun, 370-1133, Japan

    Maki Kasahara

  3. Department of Rehabilitation, Iwamuro Rehabilitation Hospital, Niigata 772-1 Iwamuronsen, Nishikan-ku, Niigata, 953-0104, Japan

    Moeka Takeuchi

  4. Tsutsumi Orthopaedic Clinic, Akita 3-8-24 Terauchidonosawa, Akita, 011-0901, Japan

    Kota Minakawa

  5. Department of Rehabilitation, Hanna Sawarabi Ryoikuen, Gunma 17 28-30 Harunasan-machi, Takasaki, 370-3341, Japan

    Yukika Inagaki

  6. Department of Rehabilitation, Sannocho Hospital, Niigata 5-2-30 Hon-cho, Sanjo, 955-0071, Japan

    Yukine Ogawa

  7. Suzuki Otolaryngology Clinic, Niigata 6-5-37 Meike, Chuo-ku, Niigata, 950-0941, Japan

    Yoshino Sato

  8. Department of Rehabilitation, Takeda General Hospital, Fukushima 3-27 Yamaga-machi, Aizuwakamatsu, 965-8585, Japan

    Minori Yokota

  9. Department of Physical Therapy, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata 1398 Shimami-cho, Kita-ku, Niigata, 950-3198, Japan

    Seina Maruyama

  10. Department of Welfare for the Elderly, Niigata 3-3-3 Chuo-cho, Shibata City, Shibata, 957-8686, Japan

    Ryoko Usuki

  11. Iwakura Community General Support Center, Kyoto 1255 Iwakuranagatani-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-0026, Japan

    Satomi Azuma

  12. Department of Rehabilitation, National Hospital Organization Nishiniigata Chuo Hospital, Niigata 1-14-1 Masago, Nishi-ku, Niigata, 950-2085, Japan

    Shunsuke Obinata

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  1. Mitsuhiro Masaki
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  2. Maki Kasahara
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  4. Kota Minakawa
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  7. Yoshino Sato
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  8. Minori Yokota
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  10. Ryoko Usuki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mitsuhiro Masaki.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Masaki, M., Kasahara, M., Takeuchi, M. et al. Comparison of the mass and amount of intramuscular non-contractile tissue of the trunk and lower extremity muscles between patients with Parkinson’s disease and community-dwelling older adults. Neurol Sci 43, 3629–3640 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-021-05828-5

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