Francesco Felici1, Ilenia Bazzucchi2, Paolo Sgrò2, Federico Quinzi2, Alessandra Conti2, Antonio Aversa3, Leonardo Gizzi4, Marco Mezzullo5, Francesco Romanelli3, Renato Pasquali5, Andrea Lenzi3, Luigi Di Luigi2. 1. Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Roma, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.felici@uniroma4.it. 2. Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Roma, Italy. 3. Department of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy; Dept. Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Catanzaro Magna Graecia, Catanzaro, Italy. 4. Department of Neurorehabilitation Engineering, Bernstein Focus Neurotechnology Göttingen, Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany. 5. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Centre for Applied Biomedical Research (C.R.B.a.), S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Alma Mater University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To indirectly evaluate the effect of androgens on neuromuscular system in humans we analyzed if an induced short-term hypogonadal state (serum total testosterone-TT<2.3ng/ml) may affect central drive to skeletal muscle and/or muscle neuro-mechanical performance. METHODS: We compared voluntary and electrically evoked muscle sEMG signals from biceps brachii in nine hypogonadal male volunteers (Hypo) and in ten healthy controls (Cont). Serum TT and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were assayed. RESULTS: With respect to Hypo, Cont exhibited significantly higher median frequency content (MDF) at any angular velocity; normalized MDF [95.9% (SD=23.3) vs 73.8% (SD=9.3)]; muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) from lowest to highest angular velocities; initial MDF at fatigue test [91.78Hz (SD=22.03) vs 70.94Hz (SD=11.06)] as well as was the normalized slope [-0.64 (SD=0.14 vs -0.5 (SD=0.11)]. In the non-fatigued state, Hypo showed a slower single twitches time to peak (TTP). In Cont, half relaxation time (HRT) decreased after fatigue while increased in Hypo (p<0.05 between groups). A significant correlation between both TT and dihydrotestosterone with MDF and CV was found during voluntary contractions only. CONCLUSIONS: A brief exposure to very low serum TT concentration in males seem to determine a reduced excitability of the NM system which, in turn, would favor a predominant recruitment of slow twitch MUs.
PURPOSE: To indirectly evaluate the effect of androgens on neuromuscular system in humans we analyzed if an induced short-term hypogonadal state (serum total testosterone-TT<2.3ng/ml) may affect central drive to skeletal muscle and/or muscle neuro-mechanical performance. METHODS: We compared voluntary and electrically evoked muscle sEMG signals from biceps brachii in nine hypogonadal male volunteers (Hypo) and in ten healthy controls (Cont). Serum TT and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were assayed. RESULTS: With respect to Hypo, Cont exhibited significantly higher median frequency content (MDF) at any angular velocity; normalized MDF [95.9% (SD=23.3) vs 73.8% (SD=9.3)]; muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) from lowest to highest angular velocities; initial MDF at fatigue test [91.78Hz (SD=22.03) vs 70.94Hz (SD=11.06)] as well as was the normalized slope [-0.64 (SD=0.14 vs -0.5 (SD=0.11)]. In the non-fatigued state, Hypo showed a slower single twitches time to peak (TTP). In Cont, half relaxation time (HRT) decreased after fatigue while increased in Hypo (p<0.05 between groups). A significant correlation between both TT and dihydrotestosterone with MDF and CV was found during voluntary contractions only. CONCLUSIONS: A brief exposure to very low serum TT concentration in males seem to determine a reduced excitability of the NM system which, in turn, would favor a predominant recruitment of slow twitch MUs.
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