Can non-invasive motor unit analysis reveal distinct neural strategies of force production in young with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes?

Valli G, Wu R, Minnock D, Sirago G, Annibalini G, Casolo A, Del Vecchio A, Toniolo L, Barbieri E, De Vito G (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

European Journal of Applied Physiology Springer

DOI: 10.1007/s00421-024-05595-z

Abstract

Purpose: to investigate the early consequences of type 1 diabetes (T1D) on the neural strategies of muscle force production. Methods: motor unit (MU) activity was recorded from the vastus lateralis muscle with High-Density surface Electromyography during isometric knee extension at 20 and 40% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in 8 T1D (4 males, 4 females, 30.5 ± 3.6 years) and 8 matched control (4 males, 4 females, 27.3 ± 5.9 years) participants. Muscle biopsies were also collected from vastus lateralis for fiber type analysis, including myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform content via protein and mRNA expression. Results: MVC was comparable between groups as well as MU conduction velocity, action potentials’ amplitude and proportions of MyHC protein isoforms. Nonetheless, MU discharge rate, relative derecruitment thresholds and mRNA expression of MyHC isoform I were lower in T1D. Conclusions: young people with uncomplicated T1D present a different neural control of muscle force production. Furthermore, differences are detectable non-invasively in absence of any functional manifestation (i.e., force production and fiber type distribution). These novel findings suggest that T1D has early consequences on the neuromuscular system and highlights the necessity of a better characterization of neural control in this population.

Authors with CRIS profile

Alessandro Del Vecchio Juniorprofessur für Neuromuscular Physiology and Neural Interfacing

Involved external institutions

University of Padua / Universita degli Studi di Padova IT Italy (IT) University College Dublin (UCD) IE Ireland (IE) University of Urbino "Carlo Bo" / Università degli Studi di Urbino "Carlo Bo" (UNIURB) IT Italy (IT)

How to cite

APA:

Valli, G., Wu, R., Minnock, D., Sirago, G., Annibalini, G., Casolo, A.,... De Vito, G. (2024). Can non-invasive motor unit analysis reveal distinct neural strategies of force production in young with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes? European Journal of Applied Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-024-05595-z

MLA:

Valli, Giacomo, et al. "Can non-invasive motor unit analysis reveal distinct neural strategies of force production in young with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes?" European Journal of Applied Physiology (2024).

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