title: Electrical stimulation counteracts muscle decline in seniors.
abstract: The loss in muscle mass coupled with a decrease in specific force and shift in fiber composition are hallmarks of aging. Training and regular exercise attenuate the signs of sarcopenia. However, pathologic conditions limit the ability to perform physical exercise. We addressed whether electrical stimulation (ES) is an alternative intervention to improve muscle recovery and defined the molecular mechanism associated with improvement in muscle structure and function. We analyzed, at functional, structural, and molecular level, the effects of ES training on healthy seniors with normal life style, without routine sport activity. ES was able to improve muscle torque and functional performances of seniors and increased the size of fast muscle fibers. At molecular level, ES induced up-regulation of IGF-1 and modulation of MuRF-1, a muscle-specific atrophy-related gene. ES also induced up-regulation of relevant markers of differentiating satellite cells and of extracellular matrix remodeling, which might guarantee shape and mechanical forces of trained skeletal muscle as well as maintenance of satellite cell function, reducing fibrosis. Our data provide evidence that ES is a safe method to counteract muscle decline associated with aging.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital , Vienna , Austria ; Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kern
authors.affiliation: DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Institute Pasteur Cenci-Bolognetti, IIM, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barberi
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Löfler
authors.affiliation: DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Institute Pasteur Cenci-Bolognetti, IIM, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sbardella
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burggraf
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Hannah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fruhmann
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria ; Laboratory of Translation Myology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Carraro
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria ; Laboratory of Translation Myology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mosole
authors.affiliation: Science and Research Centre, Institute for Kinesiology Research, University of Primorska , Koper , Slovenia.
authors.forename: Nejc
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sarabon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wilhelminenspital , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogelauer
authors.affiliation: Center of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Winfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.affiliation: Center of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna , Vienna , Austria.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krenn
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Comenius University , Bratislava , Slovakia.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cvecka
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Vanina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Romanello
authors.affiliation: CeSI-Center for Research on Aging & DNICS - Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti , Chieti , Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pietrangelo
authors.affiliation: CeSI-Center for Research on Aging & DNICS - Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti , Chieti , Italy.
authors.forename: Feliciano
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Protasi
authors.affiliation: Dulbecco Telethon Institute at Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine , Padova , Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandri
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Electrical Stimulation and Physical Rehabilitation , Vienna , Austria ; Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zampieri
authors.affiliation: DAHFMO-Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Institute Pasteur Cenci-Bolognetti, IIM, Sapienza University of Rome , Rome , Italy ; Center for Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musaro
keywords: IGF-1; aging; electrical stimulation; extracellular matrix; microRNA; muscle atrophy; muscle performance; satellite cells
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