Prevention of muscle disuse atrophy by low-frequency electrical stimulation in rats

Abstract

When muscles lose neural drive, they atrophy rapidly. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMS) has been used in attempts to prevent or reverse the atrophy, but optimal stimulation programs and parameters are not well defined. In this study, we investigated the effects of four different stimulation patterns on disuse atrophy produced in the tibialis anterior, lateral gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles of rats paralyzed with tetrodotoxin for seven days. Stimulation paradigms differed from one another by their stimulation frequency (2 or 10 pulses/s) and by their stimulation period (2 or 10 h a day). Results showed that stimulation with 2 pulses/s, paradigms were more effective at preventing disuse muscle atrophy than higher-frequency stimulation. The most marked difference was in the slow soleus muscle, which had only 10% mean atrophy when stimulated at 2 pulses/s for 10 h, compared to 26% atrophy when stimulated at 10 pulses/s for either 2 or 10 h and 32% atrophy in unstimulated, paralyzed controls. The level of atrophic change was not correlated with the levels of serum creatine kinase, used as an index of muscle damage. Results suggest that remediation of disuse atrophy may be accomplished using unphysiologically low rates of motor-unit activation despite the relatively low force produced by such unfused contractions. This may have significant implications for the design of therapies for muscle paralysis consequent to upper-motoneuron lesions.

Electrical Stimulation Influences Satellite Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in Unloading-Induced Muscle Atrophy in Mice

“…Electrical stimulation has been explored as a means of counteracting skeletal muscle atrophy in various clinical conditions, such as spinal cord injury [14], aging [15], spaceflight [16], and disuse [17], [18]. The effect of electrical stimulation depends on the atrophy model and the parameters of electrical stimulation, particularly the frequency and duration of stimulation.…”

“…The effect of electrical stimulation depends on the atrophy model and the parameters of electrical stimulation, particularly the frequency and duration of stimulation. Low-frequency stimulation (2–20 Hz) that matches the motor unit firing pattern of a slow-twitch muscle, such as the soleus muscle, has been shown to be effective in attenuating disuse muscle atrophy [17], although the underlying mechanisms are far from clear. We have previously demonstrated that, during hindlimb suspension, application of low-frequency electrical stimulation at 20 Hz on the soleus muscles with defined timing and pulse parameters partially rescued the loss of satellite cells and improved fiber cross-sectional areas [19].…”

The effects of low frequency electrical stimulation on satellite cell activity in rat skeletal muscle during hindlimb suspension

“…The influence of electrical stimulation (ES) in counteracting muscle atrophy has been described in various clinical conditions such as disuse [14], aging [15], spinal cord injury [16], and space flight [17]. Because the atrophic response to disuse is usually greater in the slow-twitch soleus muscles [6,10,18], low frequency (2-20 Hz) pattern of stimulation that matches the muscle properties and the motor unit firing pattern has been shown to be effective in preventing disuse muscle atrophy [14].…”

Clinical study of botulinum toxin A injection combined with spasmodic muscle therapeutic instrument on lower limb spasticity in patients with stroke

“…Studies showed that the pulse of low frequency electric stimulation for spasmodic muscle could lower muscular tension and most patients were reported to have spasm relieved within 6–14 h after treatment (19,20). …”