European Journal of Applied Physiology最新文献

{"title":"Neural correlates underlying motor sequence task performance: handedness and sequence complexity.","authors":"János Négyesi, Jun Zhao, Yifan Wang, Gergő Bolla, Melinda Becske, Danuta Szirmai, András Attila Horváth, Tibor Hortobágyi, Menno P Veldman, Péter Négyesi, Pavlina Walter, Satoshi Shioiri, Ryoichi Nagatomi","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06495-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06495-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>We aimed to determine the neural correlates of motor sequence performance in healthy young adults, with respect to handedness and sequence complexity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Strongly left-handed (LH, n = 15, 24.9y) and right-handed (RH, n = 15, 26.4y) participants performed finger key presses on a numeric keypad at four levels of sequence complexity with each hand in a randomized order.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both LH and RH performed the motor sequence task with faster reaction and motor execution times when using their right hand, irrespective of sequence complexity. Increasing motor-sequence complexity reduced frontal and parietal EEG power in both LH and RH, particularly at the highest complexity level, while RH also showed increased occipital delta activity when using the non-dominant hand, indicating that both sequence complexity and handedness modulate cortical activity during motor sequence performance. In addition, connectivity analysis showed significant hemispheric differences in brain network organization across frequency bands, with mainly greater left-hemisphere frontal and occipital connectivity but stronger right-hemisphere parietal connectivity. Sequence complexity primarily influenced functional connectivity (wPLI) rather than network topology. Notably, connectivity measures and selected MST-derived graph-theoretical metrics were linked to motor performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that motor-sequence performance is faster with the right hand, regardless of handedness and sequence complexity, which relies on a consistently organized hemispheric network, while increasing task complexity is managed primarily through frequency-specific changes in functional connectivity rather than large-scale reorganization of network structure.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149357234","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influences of sex and time interval on reliability of neuromuscular and motor performance measurements in isometric plantar flexor exercise.","authors":"Cayque Brietzke, Júlio Cesar Cesario, Giovanna Marcucci, Ítalo Vinícius de Paula, Fernando Henrique Magalhães, Marcio Fagundes Goethel, Carla Silva-Batista, Luana Colloca, Flávio Oliveira Pires","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06485-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06485-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Reliable assessment of neuromuscular function is fundamental for interpreting physiological adaptations, yet sex-related influences in the reliability of these assessments remain poorly characterized across different temporal designs. We determined the within-session and between-days reliability of neuromuscular measurements in physically active men and women across multiple time intervals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty healthy participants (15♀ and 15 ♂) completed six sessions to assess the reliability of motor output such as maximal voluntary contraction and time-to-task failure during isometric plantar flexion, as well as electrically evoked responses such as H-reflex, M-wave and V-wave. Relative and absolute reliability were calculated in pooled and sex-separated data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Maximal voluntary contraction showed excellent within-session reliability in all groups. This outcome was consistently good in pooled data and in men for between-days sessions, yet only moderate in women. Although acceptable, within-session and between-days reliability of time-to-task failure were more variable in pooled and sex-separated data. Reliability of H-reflex, M-wave and V-wave ranged from good to excellent in within-session data for both sexes. However, between-days reliability was more variable, as men showed a higher reliability in H-reflex whereas women showed a higher reliability in M-wave and V-wave. Apparently, reliability of electrically evoked reflexes was influenced by the interval between measurements in women.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Maximal voluntary contraction is a reliable outcome to reflect adaptations in plantar flexion-derived motor output regardless of sex and temporal designs. Results suggested that sex-related influences affect the reliability of electrically evoked reflexes, challenging their ability to reflect biological adaptation of neuromuscular function.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149333004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ethical, methodological, and translational framework for animal studies in physical exercise research.","authors":"Ricardo A Pinho, Larissa C Marques, Lei Zhou, Luis F Marqueze, Paulo C L Silveira, Alexandra Latini, Rolando B Ceddia, Zsolt Radak, Scott K Powers","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06490-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06490-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Experimental research involving physical exercise (PE) in animal models has contributed significantly to advancing knowledge in several areas, including physiology, biochemistry, and translational medicine. Despite the widespread use of these models, important concerns remain regarding methodological heterogeneity, limited experimental standardization, reproducibility of findings, and the translational validity of preclinical outcomes. In this context, the present article proposes an integrated decision-making framework for animal-based PE research. The framework complements existing guidelines linking ethical justification, animal welfare, experimental design, exercise prescription, and translational interpretation throughout the different stages of study development. The manuscript is based on international guidelines for animal experimentation, including ARRIVE 2.0, PREPARE, the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, AVMA recommendations, the APS Resource Book for the Design of Animal Exercise Protocols, and recent methodological recommendations for preclinical exercise research in metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The topics address aspects related to ethical decision-making in the use of animal models, the principles of the 3Rs, selection of species, strain, sex, and age, sample size calculation, inclusion and exclusion criteria, translational validity, and the definition of exercise protocols, including intensity, frequency, duration, equipment, and experimental monitoring. This framework is intended to support more consistent experimental decisions, including selection, justification, and implementation, according to the research question, animal model, and intended translational inference.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149333003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Decoupling the neurovascular axis: autonomic and hemodynamic determinants of intracranial pulse wave morphology via principal component analysis.","authors":"Alinne Alves Oliveira, Joanderson Felipe Soares Silva, Diego Rocha Cardoso, Mateus Argolo, Ana Beatriz Souza Lima, Rafael Pereira","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06489-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06489-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study investigated the integrated relationship between systemic hemodynamics, autonomic modulation, and non-invasive intracranial pulse wave morphology (P2/P1 ratio) across na adult age range under basal seated resting conditions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two hundred ninety-nine healthy volunteers (137 males, 162 females; mean age 48.74 ± 24 years) were evaluated. Blood pressure, heart rate, symbolic heart rate variability (0 V, sympathetic; 2UV, parasympathetic), and P2/P1 ratio via scalp extensometry were recorded. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with Varimax rotation was applied to eight normalized variables (Age, HR, SBP, DBP, PP, 0 V, 2UV, and P2/P1).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four components explained 85.81% of variance. PC1 (34.04%) comprised age (loading 0.802), PP (0.824), SBP (0.883), and P2/P1 (0.647), representing an age-pulsatile axis. PC2 (25.46%) captured autonomic dynamics, dominated by 0 V and 2UV. PC3 (13.93%) was dominated by DBP, whereas PC4 (12.38%) showed a P2/P1 loading (0.560). Spearman analysis showed associations of age with P2/P1 (ρ = 0.623, p < 0.05), PP (ρ = 0.479, p < 0.05), and SBP (ρ = 0.472, p < 0.05). P2 > P1 morphology was more frequent among older participants and higher PP.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Under basal seated resting conditions, P2/P1 was associated with age and pulsatile hemodynamics, particularly PP, while autonomic modulation represented a partially distinct component. The P2/P1 variance in PC4 suggests additional factors not captured by the systemic variables examined. These findings support this non-invasive framework as an exploratory approach for studying cerebrovascular and craniospinal dynamics across adulthood, but do not establish causality or equivalence with invasive measurements.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-11-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149333002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Aerobic exercise preconditioning enhances skeletal muscle resistance and recovery after contusion: involvement of the SIRT1/PGC-1α axis.","authors":"Wei Wang, Zhao Tian, Peijin Li, Changjun Zuo, Jin Ye, Churan Bai, Zhaowen Li","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06483-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06483-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Compared with passive recovery after injury, exercise preconditioning may provide an active strategy for improving the subsequent response of skeletal muscle to injury. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise preconditioning (AEP) on skeletal muscle injury (SMI) and post-injury repair, with particular focus on the involvement of the SIRT1/PGC-1α axis and changes in PGC-1α acetylation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study initially investigated the effects of continuous aerobic exercise on skeletal muscle in healthy mice. Subsequently, the influence of AEP on injury severity and regenerative repair of the gastrocnemius muscle was examined in mice with SMI. Western blotting was used to determine the expression levels of SIRT1 and PGC-1α proteins, immunoprecipitation was performed to assess the acetylation status of PGC-1α, and qRT-PCR was used to analyze the expression of genes associated with mitochondrial biogenesis-related markers and muscle regeneration. Finally, the involvement of SIRT1 signaling in the AEP-associated response to SMI was further examined using the pharmacological SIRT1 inhibitor EX527.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Continuous aerobic exercise was associated with increased SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling and changes in mitochondrial biogenesis-related markers in the gastrocnemius muscle of healthy mice. AEP was associated with reduced injury-related changes and an improved post-injury repair profile in mice with SMI. During the early stage after injury, AEP was accompanied by sustained SIRT1/ PGC-1α signaling and reduced PGC-1α acetylation. Pharmacological inhibition of SIRT1 with EX527 partially attenuated the AEP-associated protective and reparative effects on the injured gastrocnemius muscle.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings suggest that AEP establishes an adaptive state in skeletal muscle that is associated with reduced injury-related damage and an enhanced post-injury reparative response. The SIRT1/PGC-1α axis and altered PGC-1α acetylation may contribute to these AEP-associated effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Visual external focus of attention modulates corticospinal excitation-inhibition balance after acute exercise.","authors":"Philipp Bauer, João H Oliveira, João S Gomes, Tiago Marques, Jamie Tallent, Nelson Cortes, João R Vaz","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06487-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06487-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Individuals are frequently instructed to adopt an internal focus during exercise, such as concentrating on a specific muscle, which may inadvertently lead to online conscious motor processing and constrain automatic motor control. In contrast, an external focus, particularly with distant visual feedback, is thought to benefit corticospinal modulation, enhancing automaticity and movement complexity. Nonetheless, the effective integration of attentional focus into evidence-based exercise prescription requires a mechanistic understanding of its neurophysiological basis. Therefore, this study investigated whether a single exercise bout performed with visual external, external or internal focus differentially modulates corticospinal excitation-inhibition balance (Corticospinal Excitability/Silent Period ratio), short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF) and torque complexity.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-seven healthy young adults were randomised to internal (12), external (12), or visual external focus (13) groups, completing a seated calf-raise bout to failure under the respective focus of attention instruction. Neurophysiological outcomes were assessed using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and analysed in a linear mixed-effects model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Corticospinal excitation-inhibition balance was enhanced after an exercise bout carried out with a visual external focus (increase 1.40 ± 0.42 mV/s, p = 0.005), while no changes were detected with an external or internal focus (all p ≥ 0.05). SICI, ICF and torque complexity showed no significant effect regarding attentional focus.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The present study contributes to the neurophysiological basis for using goal-oriented visual feedback cues to increase corticospinal drive, offering a targeted intervention strategy which has potential to optimize motor performance in elite athletes and accelerate functional recovery in clinical populations.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial registration: </strong>The present study was registered under NCT06538766 on 26/07/2024.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuromechanical associations in vertical jump adaptation after plyometric training: a multivariate meta-analysis.","authors":"Lin Xie, Jing Dai, BingHong Gao, PeiJie Chen","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06480-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06480-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Plyometric training (PT) is widely used to enhance vertical-jump performance, but the associations between muscle-tendon mechanical adaptation, lower-limb sEMG amplitude, and\" performance across jump tasks with different neuromechanical demands remain incompletely understood. In particular, whether stiffness adaptations are uniformly beneficial across Stretch-Shortening Cycle(SSC)-dependent and predominantly concentric jump tasks remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study employed a multivariate meta-analysis to quantify associations between changes in vertical stiffness (K_vert), Achilles tendon stiffness (K_tendon), knee-extensor and plantar-flexor sEMG amplitude, and vertical-jump adaptation, while examining whether these associations differed according to jump type and intervention duration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In strict accordance with PRISMA guidelines, seven major databases were searched for randomized controlled trials from inception to December 2025. Multivariate random-effects models were constructed using the metaSEM package in R, supplemented by Pearson correlation analysis. The GRADE framework was utilized to assess the certainty of evidence.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-nine randomized controlled trials were included. Plyometric training significantly improved vertical jump outcomes (all p < 0.05; standardized mean differences(SMD) > 0.40), vertical stiffness (SMD = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.07-0.67), and Achilles tendon stiffness (SMD = 0.43). Descriptive K_vert-VJ correlations were positive for CMJ (r = 0.51) and negative for DJ (r = - 0.72). Formal moderator analysis supported differences in the K_vert-VJ association across jump types (LRT = 11.33, df = 2, p = 0.003) but not across intervention-duration categories (LRT = 2.05, df = 2, p = 0.358). Formal moderation by jump type or intervention duration was not observed for K_tendon or the sEMG outcomes, although these analyses were based on relatively few studies.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Plyometric-training adaptations showed formal evidence of task-specific K_vert-VJ associations, whereas duration-specific moderation was not supported. Associations involving K_tendon and sEMG amplitude were less consistent and should be regarded as exploratory.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New decompression gas CF₄/O₂: reducing DCS risk and ameliorating injuries in male rats.","authors":"Jiaqi Li, Hong Chen, Zhi Li, Ye Bai, Shuangbo Liu, Xiaomeng Ren, Xiaochen Bao","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06486-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06486-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Decompression sickness (DCS) remains a major risk in diving. Prolonging decompression reduces inert gas load but increases operation time and underwater exposure. We tested a carbon tetrafluoride-oxygen mixture (CF₄/O₂) as a decompression gas in two rat decompression protocols: 6 ATA compressed air and 9 ATA helium-oxygen (heliox). Switching to CF₄/O₂ 10 min before decompression significantly reduced DCS incidence in both protocols: air, 68% (19/28) to 11% (3/28); heliox, 68% (15/22) to 18% (4/22). Mortality was significantly reduced in the compressed-air protocol (29% [8/28] to 0 [0/28], P = 0.004) but not in the heliox protocol (14% [3/22] to 0 [0/22], P = 0.233). Echocardiography showed fewer or no intracardiac bubbles after CF₄/O₂. In the heliox protocol, CF₄/O₂ significantly modulated some pulmonary function parameters; in the compressed-air protocol, pulmonary function changes were time-dependent and did not differ significantly between groups. CF₄/O₂ also reduced lung inflammation, endothelial injury, and histological damage in both protocols. In a 28-day repeated hyperbaric exposure protocol assessing selected serum biochemical endpoints, CF₄/O₂ did not increase serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine or urea; however, this protocol did not include post-exposure histopathology or haematology, so safety conclusions are limited to the measured endpoints. These findings support the tested CF₄/O₂ gas-switching strategy under the specific conditions used. Shorter decompression protocols were not tested, and shortening decompression time remains a potential application rather than a demonstrated outcome.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319366","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond imbalance: an elasticity framework for the distance-averaged force-velocity relationship in vertical jump.","authors":"Zhaoqian Li, Mingyu Li, Xing Zhang, Zongwei Chen, Litong Yang, Qiaozhe Li","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06482-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06482-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study aimed to (1) establish the distance‑averaged F‑V relationship framework and (2) develop elasticity metrics that quantify how F‑V relationship variables govern jump height and inform training decisions. Theoretical derivation and experimental validation across 108 F-V relationship models derived from 1578 jumps (countermovement jump and squat jump at three knee angles; 20 well-trained subjects) yielded a systematic error of - 2.1% and a strong linear association (r = 0.96, 95% CI [0.93; 0.97]) between measured and predicted jump height. Four elasticity metrics were formulated: force elasticity ([Formula: see text]), the elasticity of jump height to maximal force ([Formula: see text]); velocity elasticity ([Formula: see text]), the elasticity of jump height to maximal velocity ([Formula: see text]); the force-velocity elasticity norm [Formula: see text], reflecting the overall sensitivity of jump height to changes in F-V relationship variables; and the force-velocity elasticity ratio [Formula: see text]), indicating which variable dominates the jump height response. Simulations and experiments revealed that [Formula: see text] bore an inverse relationship to [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] was inversely related to [Formula: see text], reflecting diminishing marginal returns. At a fixed jump height, simulations showed [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] displayed a U-shaped relationship; a balanced profile ([Formula: see text] = 1) did not always correspond to the lowest [Formula: see text]. The distance-averaged F-V elasticity framework offers a physically grounded and quantitative tool for linking F-V relationship variables directly to jump performance, providing a basis for informing individualized training decisions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neural, contractile, and muscular determinants associated with lower strength in recreationally active older men: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Ronan Sherman, Mathias Forsberg Brobakken, Ole Kristian Berg, Tiril Hoksnes Tøien, Eivind Wang","doi":"10.1007/s00421-026-06491-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-026-06491-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Skeletal muscle strength declines with age. However, the relative contributions of various neuromuscular factors to this decline appear to not be fully understood. Thus, we compared relative attenuations in key neural and muscular strength determinants with age, in vivo and in vitro, recruiting 22 old (75 ± 1 years) and 18 young (25 ± 1 years) recreationally active men. Leg extension maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), early (0-100 ms) and late (0-200 ms) rate of force development (RFD), were reduced by - 39%, - 55%, and - 49%, respectively, in the old (all p < 0.001); however, estimated thigh cross-sectional area (CSA) was not different between groups. In contrast, efferent neural drive assessed by evoked recordings (m.soleus normalized V-waves; V/M_sup), largely dependent on corticospinal factors, revealed a - 72% age-related reduction (p < 0.001). A - 51% reduction was also observed in peripheral motoneuron excitability, measured as H_max/M_max at 10% MVC (p < 0.001). The neural age-related decline was confirmed applying peak electromyography (EMG; - 14%), early (- 31%), and late (- 30%; all p < 0.05) rate of EMG rise, during leg extension MVC. While voluntary activation was unaltered with age, quadriceps contractility was reduced (resting twitch: peak force, - 41%; RFD, - 43%; delay, +39%; time-to-relaxation, +56%; all p < 0.01). Biopsies from m.vastus lateralis showed an age-related decrease in proportion, - 16% (type II: 43% (old) vs. 51% (young); p < 0.001), but not size, of fast twitch fibers. Concomitantly, slow twitch fibers were 12% larger in old vs. young (p < 0.05). Collectively, these findings showed that age-related reductions in muscle strength were accompanied by pronounced alterations in neural function alongside changes in muscle phenotype, despite preserved thigh CSA.</p>","PeriodicalId":12005,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Applied Physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149319364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}