TY - JOUR A1 - Zullo, Alberto A1 - Fleckenstein, Johannes A1 - Schleip, Robert A1 - Hoppe, Kerstin A1 - Wearing, Scott A1 - Klingler, Werner T1 - Structural and Functional Changes in the Coupling of Fascial Tissue, Skeletal Muscle, and Nerves During Aging JF - Frontiers in Physiology N2 - Aging is a one-way process associated with profound structural and functional changes in the organism. Indeed, the neuromuscular system undergoes a wide remodeling, which involves muscles, fascia, and the central and peripheral nervous systems. As a result, intrinsic features of tissues, as well as their functional and structural coupling, are affected and a decline in overall physical performance occurs. Evidence from the scientific literature demonstrates that senescence is associated with increased stiffness and reduced elasticity of fascia, as well as loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and regenerative potential. The interaction between muscular and fascial structures is also weakened. As for the nervous system, aging leads to motor cortex atrophy, reduced motor cortical excitability, and plasticity, thus leading to accumulation of denervated muscle fibers. As a result, the magnitude of force generated by the neuromuscular apparatus, its transmission along the myofascial chain, joint mobility, and movement coordination are impaired. In this review, we summarize the evidence about the deleterious effect of aging on skeletal muscle, fascial tissue, and the nervous system. In particular, we address the structural and functional changes occurring within and between these tissues and discuss the effect of inflammation in aging. From the clinical perspective, this article outlines promising approaches for analyzing the composition and the viscoelastic properties of skeletal muscle, such as ultrasonography and elastography, which could be applied for a better understanding of musculoskeletal modifications occurring with aging. Moreover, we describe the use of tissue manipulation techniques, such as massage, traction, mobilization as well as acupuncture, dry needling, and nerve block, to enhance fascial repair. KW - aging KW - connective tissue KW - fascia KW - skeletal muscle KW - nerve Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-206890 SN - 1664-042X VL - 11 IS - 592 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Johannsen, Stephan A1 - Schick, Martin A1 - Roewer, Norbert A1 - Schuster, Frank T1 - Microdialysis and ultrasound elastography for monitoring of localized muscular reaction after pharmacological stimulation in rats JF - BMC Research Notes N2 - Objective: Halothane and caffeine are known to cause skeletal muscular contractions in vitro and have been proven to induce circumscribed metabolic reactions when injected into rat skeletal muscle. In this study 26 rats were investigated by either continuous application of calcium 160 mM or bolus injection of caffeine 160 mM or halothane 10% vol via a microdialysis probe in the tibialis anterior muscle. Tissue elasticity at the injection site was monitored by ultrasound strain elastography. Aim of this study was to detect (I) changes in local lactate concentrations and (II) whether these can be attributed to a muscular contraction detected by ultrasound elastography. Results: Localized metabolic reactions were verified by increasing intramuscular lactate concentrations following continuous application of calcium (0.6 [0.3;0.6] to 3.6 [3.0;4.3] mmol/l after 60 min) and bolus application of caffeine (0.2 [0.2;0.3] to 1.6 [0.9;1.9] mmol/l after 30 min) and halothane (0.3 [0.1;0.3] to 4.7 [4.3;6.3] mmol/l after 30 min). However, ultrasound elastography did not detect any differences in tissue elasticity compared to control animals. The authors identified potential limitations of the study conditions, which might be crucial to avoid for future investigations. KW - skeletal muscle KW - ultrasound strain elastography KW - microdialysis KW - halothane KW - caffeine Y1 - 2018 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-176977 VL - 11 IS - 636 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Klingler, Werner A1 - Heiderich, Sebastian A1 - Girard, Thierry A1 - Gravino, Elvira A1 - Heffron, James J. A. A1 - Johannsen, Stephan A1 - Jurkat-Rott, Karin A1 - Rüffert, Henrik A1 - Schuster, Frank A1 - Snoeck, Marc A1 - Sorrentino, Vincenzo A1 - Tegazzin, Vincenzo A1 - Lehmann-Horn, Frank T1 - Functional and genetic characterization of clinical malignant hyperthermia crises: a multi-centre study JF - Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases N2 - Background: Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a rare pharmacogenetic disorder which is characterized by life-threatening metabolic crises during general anesthesia. Classical triggering substances are volatile anesthetics and succinylcholine (SCh). The molecular basis of MH is excessive release of Ca2+ in skeletal muscle principally by a mutated ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1). To identify factors explaining the variable phenotypic presentation and complex pathomechanism, we analyzed proven MH events in terms of clinical course, muscle contracture, genetic factors and pharmocological triggers. Methods: In a multi-centre study including seven European MH units, patients with a history of a clinical MH episode confirmed by susceptible (MHS) or equivocal (MHE) in vitro contracture tests (IVCT) were investigated. A test result is considered to be MHE if the muscle specimens develop pathological contractures in response to only one of the two test substances, halothane or caffeine. Crises were evaluated using a clinical grading scale (CGS), results of IVCT and genetic screening. The effects of SCh and volatile anesthetics on Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were studied in vitro. Results: A total of 200 patients met the inclusion criteria. Two MH crises (1%) were triggered by SCh (1 MHS, 1 MHE), 18% by volatile anesthetics and 81% by a combination of both. Patients were 70% male and 50% were younger than 12 years old. Overall, CGS was in accord with IVCT results. Crises triggered by enflurane had a significantly higher CGS compared to halothane, isoflurane and sevoflurane. Of the 200 patients, 103 carried RyR1 variants, of which 14 were novel. CGS varied depending on the location of the mutation within the RyR1 gene. In contrast to volatile anesthetics, SCh did not evoke Ca2+ release from isolated rat SR vesicles. Conclusions: An MH event could depend on patient-related risk factors such as male gender, young age and causative RyR1 mutations as well as on the use of drugs lowering the threshold of myoplasmic Ca2+ release. SCh might act as an accelerant by promoting unspecific Ca2+ influx via the sarcolemma and indirect RyR1 activation. Most MH crises develop in response to the combined administration of SCh and volatile anesthetics. KW - susceptibility KW - central core disease KW - skeletal muscle KW - North American KW - malignant hyperthermia KW - succinylcholine KW - suxamethonium KW - volatile anesthetics KW - RyR1 mutations KW - New Zealand KW - inhalation anesthetics KW - sarcoplasmic reticulum KW - ryanodine receptor gene KW - vitro contracture test Y1 - 2014 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-117630 SN - 1750-1172 VL - 9 IS - 8 ER -