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Effects of 17-day spaceflight on electrically evoked torque and cross-sectional area of the human triceps surae

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Abstract

The effects of spaceflight on triceps surae muscle torque and cross-sectional area (CSA) were investigated on four astronauts using electrically evoked contractions to by-pass neural control. Muscle twitch characteristics, ankle joint angle–twitch torque relation, frequency–torque relation, tetanic torque and fatigability were assessed before, during and after a 17-day Space Shuttle flight (STS-78). Muscle plus bone cross-sectional area (CSAm+b) was evaluated before and after the flight. Whereas no changes in muscle function were observed during the flight, marked alterations were found during the recovery period. Peak twitch (PTw) and tetanic torques at 50 Hz (PT50) continued to fall up to the 8th recovery day (R+8) on which losses in PTw and PT50 were 24.4% (P<0.01) and 22.0% (P<0.01), respectively. The decline in PTw was not joint-angle-specific. Post-flight, especially on R+8, torque decreased at all stimulation frequencies (1, 20, 30 and 50 Hz); however the shape of the frequency–torque curve, normalised for PT50, was not modified. Similarly, no changes in twitch kinetics were observed. Post- flight, an 8% (P<0.01) reduction in CSAm+b was found on R+2. Normalisation of PT50 values for CSAm+b showed a progressive loss in specific torque (PT50/CSAm+b), which was maximal on R+2 (19.5%, P<0.05). Also, fatigability during 2-min intermittent stimulation at 20 Hz increased throughout recovery, reaching a nadir of 16.4% (P<0.01) on R+15. In conclusion, 17 days of spaceflight resulted in significant changes in muscle function during the recovery phase, but not in microgravity. The disproportionate loss of torque compared with that of muscle size suggests the presence of muscle damage due to reloading in 1 g.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are most grateful to the crew of Space Shuttle flight STS-78 for their outstanding performance in the present experiment involving electrical muscle stimulation. We also express sincere gratitude to the staff of ESA and NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston for their highly professional support to this flight experiment. Flight STS-78 was one of the last life-science missions of Space Shuttle Columbia before the tragic loss of STS-107 and its crew. This manuscript is also dedicated to those extraordinary women and men that lost their life in this last flight of Space Shuttle Columbia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Biophysical and Clinical Research into Human Movement, Manchester Metropolitan University, Alsager Campus, Alsager, Cheshire , ST7 2HL, United Kingdom

    Marco Narici

  2. Faculté de médecine, Centre Médical Universitaire, Université de Genève, 1211 , Geneva , Switzerland

    Bengt Kayser

  3. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie, Biomediche Università degli Studi di Milano, Edificio L.I.T.A., Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090, Segrate, Milan, Italy

    Paolo Barattini & Paolo Cerretelli

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  1. Marco Narici
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  2. Bengt Kayser
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  3. Paolo Barattini
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  4. Paolo Cerretelli
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Correspondence to Marco Narici.

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Narici, M., Kayser, B., Barattini, P. et al. Effects of 17-day spaceflight on electrically evoked torque and cross-sectional area of the human triceps surae. Eur J Appl Physiol 90, 275–282 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-003-0955-7

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