Work

Twenty-one days of bed rest alter motor unit properties and neuromuscular junction transmission in young adults

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Leveraging both intramuscular and high-density surface EMG recordings in the vastus lateralis, we identified alterations in motor unit (MU) properties in young adults after 21 days of bed rest. These included reduced discharge rates and changes in MU potential size and complexity, observed at both low and moderate contraction intensities. Evidence of impaired neuromuscular junction (NMJ) function and denervation was also found. Our findings indicate that medium-term disuse elicits MU-level changes not detected in shorter-duration studies.

Source: Journal of Applied Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00178.2025

Authors: Fabio Sarto, Miloš Kalc, Evgeniia S. Motanova, Martino V. Franchi, Daniel Stashuk, Nina Murks, Giacomo Valli, Samuele Negro, Tomaž Prašnikar, Mladen Gasparini, Giovanni Martino, Giuseppe De Vito, Aleš Holobar, Boštjan Simunič, Rado Pišot, Marco V. Narici

Institutions: University of Padua, Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče Koper, University of Waterloo, University of Maribor, University of Brescia, Izola General Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Spaceflight effects on biology

Subfield: Physiology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS, HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions, NextGenerationEU

Awards: G1188712038, Physical inactivity induced neuromuscular impairment: comparison of younger and older adults, G223589484, G2248464585, Computer Systems, Methodologies, and Intelligent Services, G400232504, G5092786515

OpenAlex ID: W4410313237

FWCI: 2.676

Cites: 63

Cited by: 5

Related to: 10