Age-related differences in pre-movement antagonist muscle co-activation and reaction-time performance

被引:18
作者
Bautmans, Ivan [1 ,2 ,3 ,5 ]
Vantieghem, Stijn [5 ]
Gorus, Ellen [2 ,3 ]
Grazzini, Yuri-Reva
Fierens, Yves [4 ]
Pool-Goudzwaard, Annelies [5 ]
Mets, Tony [2 ,3 ,5 ]
机构
[1] Vrije Univ Brussel, Frailty Ageing Res Dept, Frailty Ageing Res Unit, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
[2] Vrije Univ Brussel, Gerontol Dept, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
[3] Univ Ziekenhuis Brussel, Dept Geriatr, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
[4] Univ Ziekenhuis Brussel, Dept Radiol, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
[5] SOMT Res Dept, NL-3821 BN Amersfoort, Netherlands
关键词
Antagonist co-contraction; Electromyography; Ageing; Reaction time; Skeletal muscle; OLDER PERSONS; STRENGTH; TORQUE; ADULTS; YOUNG;
D O I
10.1016/j.exger.2011.03.002
中图分类号
R592 [老年病学]; C [社会科学总论];
学科分类号
03 ; 0303 ; 100203 ;
摘要
Multiple causes contribute to the prolonged reaction-times (RT) observed in elderly persons. The involvement of antagonist muscle co-activation remains unclear. Here the Mm. Biceps and Triceps Brachii activation in 64 apparently healthy elderly (80 +/- 6 years) and 60 young (26 +/- 3 years) subjects were studied during a simple RT-test (moving a finger using standardized elbow-extension from one pushbutton to another following a visual stimulus). RT was divided in pre-movement-time (PMT, time for stimulus processing) and movement-time (MT, time for motor response completion). RT-performance was significantly worse in elderly compared to young: the slowing was more pronounced for MT than PMT (respectively 101 +/- 10 ms and 41 +/- 6 ms slower, p<0.01). Elderly subjects showed significantly higher (p<0.01) antagonist muscle co-activation during the PMT-phase, which was significantly related to worse MT and RT (p<0.01). During the MT-phase, antagonist muscle co-activation was similar for both groups. It can be concluded that increased antagonist muscle co-activation in elderly persons occurs in an early phase, already before the start of the movement. These findings provide further understanding of the underlying mechanisms of age-related slowing of human motor performance. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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页码:637 / 642
页数:6
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