The recovery of skeletal muscle innervation after nerve injury remains poorly understood. Recently we found that an intermittent, mid-intensity treadmill activity modulates muscle BDNF inducing axon sprouting and faster muscle re-innervation. In order to understand if different types of motor activity may result in different modulation of muscle re-innervation, we set out to study the effects of different chronic treadmill running protocols or freewheel activity on nerve-lesioned adult rats. After nerve crush, muscle re-innervation and BDNF expression were evaluated using intracellular recordings, tension recordings and western blotting respectively. Surprisingly, a significant increase of multiple muscle innervation was found only with an intermittent, mid-intensity protocol of running compared to sedentary controls. Moreover, a similar tendency was also observed in rats of freewheel activity group, but only in rats voluntary running with high intensity rush. An increased muscle expression of BDNF was found in animals of all running groups. These preliminary results suggest that the re-innervation of skeletal muscle after nerve injury may vary according to the type of motor activity applied. We conclude that an appropriated motor activity might be an important tool in rehabilitation programs after a nerve injury.
Motor activity and muscle re-innervation: the influence of different patterns of exercise
SARTINI, STEFANO;DI PALMA, MICHAEL;LATTANZI, DAVIDE;AMBROGINI, PATRIZIA;CIACCI, CATERINA;CUPPINI, RICCARDO
2013
Abstract
The recovery of skeletal muscle innervation after nerve injury remains poorly understood. Recently we found that an intermittent, mid-intensity treadmill activity modulates muscle BDNF inducing axon sprouting and faster muscle re-innervation. In order to understand if different types of motor activity may result in different modulation of muscle re-innervation, we set out to study the effects of different chronic treadmill running protocols or freewheel activity on nerve-lesioned adult rats. After nerve crush, muscle re-innervation and BDNF expression were evaluated using intracellular recordings, tension recordings and western blotting respectively. Surprisingly, a significant increase of multiple muscle innervation was found only with an intermittent, mid-intensity protocol of running compared to sedentary controls. Moreover, a similar tendency was also observed in rats of freewheel activity group, but only in rats voluntary running with high intensity rush. An increased muscle expression of BDNF was found in animals of all running groups. These preliminary results suggest that the re-innervation of skeletal muscle after nerve injury may vary according to the type of motor activity applied. We conclude that an appropriated motor activity might be an important tool in rehabilitation programs after a nerve injury.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
