Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Antonio Stecco, Federico Giordani, Caterina Fede, Carmelo Pirri, Raffaele De Caro, Carla Stecco
Summary: Recent research has shown a strong interaction between muscle fibers and intramuscular connective tissue, as well as between muscles and fasciae, challenging the idea that muscles are the sole organizers of movement. The innervation and vascularization of muscles are also connected with intramuscular connective tissue. Luigi Stecco introduced the term "myofascial unit" to describe the anatomical and functional relationship between fascia, muscle, and accessory elements. This narrative review aims to explore the scientific evidence supporting the concept of the myofascial unit as the fundamental element for peripheral motor control.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sanjeev D. Nandedkar, Paul E. Barkhaus, Erik Stalberg
Summary: This study assessed the validity of the prevailing concept of motor unit (MU) recruitment's progressive linear increase in firing rate (FR). The results indicated that MU FR does not exhibit a linear increase with recruitment, supporting the findings of other researchers. The firing rate of the fastest firing MU can be used as an indicator to detect MU loss in neurogenic processes.
Article
Neurosciences
Alessandro Del Vecchio, Carina Marconi Germer, Thomas M. Kinfe, Stefano Nuccio, Francois Hug, Bjoern Eskofier, Dario Farina, Roger M. Enoka
Summary: The purpose of this study was to identify the low-dimensional latent components, called motor unit modes, underlying the discharge rates of motor units in knee extensors and hand muscles during submaximal isometric contractions. Factor analysis identified two independent motor unit modes that captured most of the covariance of the motor unit discharge rates. The distribution of motor unit modes was different between hand and knee muscles, with a continuous distribution found for the knee muscles.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Jacques Duchateau, Roger M. Enoka
Summary: The purpose of this review was to compare the distribution of motor unit properties across human muscles of different sizes and recruitment ranges. Despite innervation number being the most influential factor in this distribution, the organization of motor unit pools and discharge rates are relatively similar between hand muscles and lower leg muscles.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Yuichi Nishikawa, Ales Holobar, Kohei Watanabe, Tetsuya Takahashi, Hiroki Ueno, Noriaki Maeda, Hirofumi Maruyama, Shinobu Tanaka, Allison S. Hyngstrom
Summary: This study detected specific motor unit (MU) abnormalities in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using high-density surface electromyography (HD-SEMG). The results showed that ALS patients had abnormal MU firing behavior compared to controls, and these abnormalities were correlated with disease severity.
CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Michal Demjan, Laura Saisanen, Jusa Reijonen, Saara Rissanen, Sara Maattaa, Petro Julkunen
Summary: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be used to induce motor evoked potentials (MEPs). This study aimed to characterize the individual near-threshold recruitment of MEPs and determine the proper suprathreshold stimulation intensity (SI). The study found that individual near-threshold characteristics significantly influenced MEP production at suprathreshold SIs and emphasized the importance of selecting the appropriate SI for TMS applications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adrian K. M. Lai, Taylor J. M. Dick, Andrew A. Biewener, James M. Wakeling
Summary: The study reveals that the nervous system can recruit motor units within muscles and coordinate different muscles by prioritizing minimizing the metabolic cost of muscle contraction during body movement. This strategy allows for adjustments in muscle activity and force distribution based on various mechanical demands, ultimately controlling muscle function effectively.
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY INTERFACE
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Riccardo Borzuola, Stefano Nuccio, Martina Scalia, Martina Parrella, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Ilenia Bazzucchi, Francesco Felici, Andrea Macaluso
Summary: This study investigated the effects of different training methods on the discharge characteristics of the tibialis anterior motor units. It was found that neuromuscular electrical stimulation superimposed on voluntary muscle contractions (NMES+) can increase motor unit discharge rate, especially when higher forces are required. This result suggests that NMES+ enhances neural control of muscles and is closely related to the distinctive motor fiber recruitment characterizing NMES+.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Alessandro Cudicio, Eduardo Martinez-Valdes, Marta Cogliati, Claudio Orizio, Francesco Negro
Summary: The study investigated the influence of muscle-tendon length on motor unit (MU) characteristics during voluntary contractions. The findings suggested that at optimal muscle lengths, there were higher variations in MU twitch torque, explaining the greater force-generation capacity of muscles in this position. This result was confirmed by deconvolution of electrically evoked contractions at different stimulation frequencies and muscle-tendon lengths.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Noora Matilainen, Marco Soldati, Ilkka Laakso
Summary: This study found that the inter-pulse interval (IPI) has no significant effect on muscle responses in active muscles during transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), but significantly affects responses in resting muscles. Therefore, using active muscles in TMS motor mapping allows for faster delivery of TMS pulses, reducing measurement time.
FRONTIERS IN HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Physiology
E. Lecce, S. Nuccio, A. Del Vecchio, A. Conti, A. Nicolo, M. Sacchetti, F. Felici, I. Bazzucchi
Summary: This study found that whole-body vibration had no significant effect on motor unit recruitment threshold and discharge rate in the tibialis anterior muscle. Further research is needed to understand the effects of different vibration protocols on motor unit responses and the chronic effects of vibration exposure on motor control strategies.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Matthew G. Birkbeck, Andrew M. Blamire, Roger G. Whittaker, Avan Aihie Sayer, Richard M. Dodds
Summary: Sarcopenia is a progressive disease commonly seen in older adults characterized by loss of muscle strength and mass. Electromyography is a method used to distinguish between different myopathies and count motor units. MUMRI, a non-invasive MRI technique, has the potential to detect physiological and pathological changes in motor units in neuromuscular diseases such as sarcopenia.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Toshiyuki Aoyama, Yutaka Kohno
Summary: This study investigated the differences in recruitment and rate coding of motor units between postural and voluntary tasks. The results showed that postural tasks preferentially recruited motor units with lower recruitment threshold and higher firing rate, while voluntary tasks preferentially recruited motor units with higher recruitment threshold and amplitude.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Critical Care Medicine
Djahid Kennouche, Eric Luneau, Thomas Lapole, Jerome Morel, Guillaume Y. Millet, Julien Gondin
Summary: Around one third of ICU patients develop ICUAW, a condition that is difficult to diagnose and often delayed. Non-invasive electrical and/or magnetic evoked force measurements may be an effective strategy for early characterization and diagnosis of ICUAW.
Review
Neurosciences
Dario Farina, Simon Gandevia
Summary: In this article, the research findings of Edgar Adrian and Detlev Bronk in 1928 to 1929 are presented, which describe the recordings of motor nerve and muscle fibres. They introduced the use of concentric needle electrode to record muscle fibre activity for the first time, and discovered the relationship between activation time of motor nerve and discharge rate of muscle fibre. This discovery has had a significant impact on subsequent motor unit research.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Francois Fourchet, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Fiorenza Agosti, Alessandra Patrizi, Alessandro Sartorio
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2020)
Editorial Material
Sport Sciences
Pedro L. Valenzuela, Romana Brunner, Adrian Castillo-Garcia, Bernd Friesenbichler, Nicola C. Casartelli, Javier S. Morales, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Mario Bizzini, Karin Niedermann
BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anna Rienmueller, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Hans-Kaspar Schwyzer, Andreas Eggspuehler
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Physiology
N. Sarabon, Z. Kozinc, C. Bishop, N. A. Maffiuletti
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Rheumatology
Nicola C. Casartelli, Pedro L. Valenzuela, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Michael Leunig
Summary: Three randomized controlled trials showed both hip arthroscopy and physical therapy led to significant short-term improvements in hip pain, function, and quality of life in patients with FAIS. Hip arthroscopy was statistically superior to physical therapy in improving outcomes at follow-up.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Olaf Prieske, Martin Behrens, Helmi Chaabene, Urs Granacher, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Article
Physiology
Loic Espeit, Vianney Rozand, Guillaume Y. Millet, Julien Gondin, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Thomas Lapole
Summary: This study examined the effects of frequency and tendon vibration superimposition on the extra torque generated by wide-pulse NMES. High-frequency NMES resulted in greater extra torque magnitude compared to low-frequency NMES in responders, and tendon vibration superimposition did not have an effect on extra torque occurrence or magnitude. Further research is needed to optimize force production through extra torque occurrence and magnitude.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jonas Pfeifle, David Hasler, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Summary: There is no significant difference in clinical relevance between assessing maximal and explosive knee extensor strength with unilateral or bilateral tasks in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Vanessa Wellauer, Julia F. Item, Mario Bizzini, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Summary: This study compared the effectiveness of a home-based NMES program to a sham-NMES program in patients following ACL reconstruction. The results showed that a 6-week home-based NMES program applied to the quadriceps of the nonoperative side prevented knee extensor muscle weakness 6 months after surgery.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Sport Sciences
Victor R. A. Cossich, Ubirata F. Gavilao, Rodrigo A. Goes, Jamila A. Perini, Conrado T. Laett, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Summary: This study compared the inter-limb asymmetry in maximal and explosive knee extensor strength in professional soccer players and found that explosive knee extensor strength exhibited larger inter-limb asymmetry and better relations with self-reported knee function.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SPORT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biology
Chris Donnelly, Timothee Popesco, Julie Rosse, Bengt Kayser, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Nicolas Place
Summary: This study compared contralateral facilitation of plantar flexor strength during rest and different types of NMES stimulation. The results showed that neither conventional nor wide-pulse high-frequency NMES induced any contralateral facilitation of maximal voluntary strength.
Article
Physiology
Loic Espeit, Thomas Lapole, Guillaume Y. Millet, Vianney Rozand, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Summary: The study compared the maximal evocable torque (MET) between conventional and wide-pulse neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) at two different frequencies. The results showed that wide-pulse protocols led to greater MET and lower maximal tolerable current intensity compared to conventional NMES.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rehabilitation
Mario Bizzini, Gianluca Schaub, Enea Ferrari, Samara Monn, Michael Leunig, Nicola C. Casartelli, Nicola A. Maffiuletti
Summary: This study aimed to examine hip muscle strength deficits in patients with femoroacetabular impingent syndrome (FAIS), with a special focus on potential sex and comparison-related differences. The results showed that women had 14-18% weaker hip muscle strength compared to men, while FAIS patients had 16-19% weaker hip muscle strength compared to healthy controls and 24-30% weaker hip muscle strength compared to athletes. Among FAIS patients, the involved hip abductors were 8.5% weaker than the uninvolved ones, with no inter-limb asymmetry observed for the other hip muscles.
PHYSICAL THERAPY IN SPORT
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gabriele Maria Achilli, Cinzia Amici, Mihai Dragusanu, Massimiliano Gobbo, Silvia Logozzo, Monica Malvezzi, Monica Tiboni, Maria Cristina Valigi
Summary: In recent decades, there has been extensive research and development of robotic devices for hand rehabilitation. This paper focuses on the technical features of these devices and proposes a roadmap for their design and selection, considering the clinical requirements based on the target impairment. The study provides a cross-analysis of device families and features, aiming to support the design and selection of exoskeletons according to an impairment-oriented rationale.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Marco A. Minetto, Sabrina Dal Fior, Chiara Busso, Pietro Caironi, Giuseppe Massazza, Nicola A. Maffiuletti, Federica Gamna
Summary: The study aims to assess the effectiveness of NMES in combating physical function impairment in COVID-19 patients post-ICU. It is a prospective, randomized controlled trial involving 80 patients, with primary outcome being assessed through the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).
CONTEMPORARY CLINICAL TRIALS COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)