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Variability in fibre properties in paralysed human quadriceps muscles and effects of training

  • Skeletal Muscle
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Abstract

A spinal cord injury usually leads to an increase in contractile speed and fatigability of the paralysed quadriceps muscles, which is probably due to an increased expression of fast myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms and reduced oxidative capacity. Sometimes, however, fatigue resistance is maintained in these muscles and also contractile speed is slower than expected. To obtain a better understanding of the diversity of these quadriceps muscles and to determine the effects of training on characteristics of paralysed muscles, fibre characteristics and whole muscle function were assessed in six subjects with spinal cord lesions before and after a 12-week period of daily low-frequency electrical stimulation. Relatively high levels of MHC type I were found in three subjects and this corresponded with a high degree of fusion in 10-Hz force responses (r=0.88). Fatigability was related to the activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) (r=0.79). Furthermore, some differentiation between fibre types in terms of metabolic properties were present, with type I fibres expressing the highest levels of SDH and lowest levels of α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase. After training, SDH activity increased by 76±26% but fibre diameter and MHC expression remained unchanged. The results indicate that expression of contractile proteins and metabolic properties seem to underlie the relatively normal functional muscle characteristics observed in some paralysed muscles. Furthermore, training-induced changes in fatigue resistance seem to arise, in part, from an improved oxidative capacity.

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Acknowledgements

The present study required a lot of commitment of the SCI subjects performing daily training sessions. Without such commitment this study would not have been possible and we therefore thank all participants. We also gratefully acknowledge Henriette Haan and Ruth v/d Vliet (Vrije University Amsterdam), as well as Petra Habets (Amsterdam Medical Center) and Henk ter Laak (University Medical Center St. Radboud, Nijmegen), for their support during the processing and analyses of the biopsy samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, Vrije University Amsterdam, v/d Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    H. L. Gerrits, C. Offringa & A. de Haan

  2. Department of Physiology, Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center St. Radboud, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    M. T. E. Hopman

  3. Department of Neurology, Institute for Fundamental and Clinical Human Movement Sciences, University Medical Center St. Radboud, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    B. G. M. van Engelen

  4. Neuromuscular Biology Group, Manchester Metropolitan University, Hassal Road, Alsager, ST7 2HL, UK

    A. J. Sargeant

  5. School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    D. A. Jones

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  1. H. L. Gerrits
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  2. M. T. E. Hopman
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  3. C. Offringa
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  4. B. G. M. van Engelen
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  5. A. J. Sargeant
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  6. D. A. Jones
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  7. A. de Haan
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Correspondence to H. L. Gerrits.

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Gerrits, H.L., Hopman, M.T.E., Offringa, C. et al. Variability in fibre properties in paralysed human quadriceps muscles and effects of training. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 445, 734–740 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-002-0997-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-002-0997-4

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