Effects of Mode of Contraction on Neuromuscular Fatigue

NCT04516538 | Terminated

• 2 other identifiers: 19CH1782020-A00016-33
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 65
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Aging is associated with multiple deteriorations of the neuromuscular system. Given the increase in life expectancy, the investigators can now distinguish old adults (\>60 years old) who conserve their neuromuscular capacities with regular physical activity and very old adults (\>80 years old) who suffer from an inexorable decline, even if the number of octogenarians and their quality of life are progressively increasing. However, the most part of the literature on fatigue and neuromuscular capacity with aging focused on isometric tasks. The results showed a significant decrease in maximal force production capacity and a greater resistance to fatigue for old people compared to the young population. When fatigue is induced trough dynamic contractions, greater fatigability was observed in old adults compared to young adults. Investigations performed on the population aged over 80 years old are rare, showing greater fatigability in octogenarians than old men (aged 60-80 years old) during isometric tasks. The knowledge about the effects of dynamic contractions in this population are limited, and performed uniquely in single leg isokinetic mode. Evaluations that require the use of both legs and higher muscle mass involved in the task (cycloergometer) are needed. Understanding neuromuscular fatigue and fatigability across different exercise modalities is necessary to set adapted physical activity programs aimed to maintain autonomy in older individuals.

Conditions

Volunteers

Keywords

Aging; neuromuscular performance; central fatigue; peripheral fatigue; dynamic

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - all participants

  The measurement of the maximum voluntary contraction is carried out at rest with the instruction to contract the extensor muscles of the knee as hard as possible by pushing against a fixed pedal. This force is measured by an isokinetic ergometer.

  Immediately after pedalling on an ergocycle

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - 18-35 years old participants

  Before and immediately after pedalling on an ergocycle

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - 60-80 years old participants

  Before and immediately after pedalling on an ergocycle

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - more than 80 years old participants

  Before and immediately after pedalling on an ergocycle

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - more than 80 years old participants

  Before and immediately after isometric contractions

• Percentage of Maximum Voluntary Contraction (%) - 60-80 years old participants

  Before and immediately after isometric contractions

Other Outcomes (6)

• Percentage of voluntary activation (%)

  Before and immediately after concentric isokinetic contractions

• Percentage of voluntary activation (%)

  Before and immediately after isometric contractions

• Percentage of voluntary activation (%)

  Before and immediately after pedalling on an ergocycle

Study Arms (3)

Young people

EXPERIMENTAL

Men or Women under 35 years old

Diagnostic Test: 6 Minutes Walk Test; Diagnostic Test: Timed up and go; Diagnostic Test: Isokinetic Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Cycloergometer body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Isometric BW-QIF Test (Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test)

Old people

EXPERIMENTAL

Men or Women between 60 and 80 years old

Diagnostic Test: 6 Minutes Walk Test; Diagnostic Test: Timed up and go; Diagnostic Test: Isokinetic Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Cycloergometer body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Isometric BW-QIF Test (Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test)

Very old people

EXPERIMENTAL

Men or Women over 80 years old

Behavioral: Mini Mental State Examination; Diagnostic Test: 6 Minutes Walk Test; Diagnostic Test: Timed up and go; Diagnostic Test: Isokinetic Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Cycloergometer body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test); Diagnostic Test: Isometric BW-QIF Test (Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test)

Interventions

Mini Mental State Examination BEHAVIORAL

test for evaluating a person's cognitive functions and memory capacity

Very old people

6 Minutes Walk Test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

a standardized test of an individual's functional ability that involves walking the greatest distance a person can walk in six minutes. This walking may be limited by shortness of breath or fatigability.

Old people; Very old people; Young people

Timed up and go DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

A simple test used to assess a person's mobility and requires both static and dynamic balance. It uses the time it takes for a person to get up from a chair, walk three metres, turn around, walk to the chair and sit down.

Old people; Very old people; Young people

Isokinetic Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test) DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The BW-QIF test is an interval incremental contraction test including blocks of discontinuous 100-s effort. Neuromuscular evaluation of the knee extensors between blocks (duration 25 s) includes one maximal voluntary contraction, one contraction at the 60% of the actual maximal force and at the 80% of the actual maximal force. During each contraction, transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex will be delivered to assess corticospinal voluntary activation (central fatigue). Single-twitch electrical stimulations will be delivered on the femoral nerve during the maximal voluntary contraction and at rest to evaluate peripheral fatigue. The isokinetic BW-QIF test blocks consist in 100 contractions at 120° deg.s-1 and 60° of range of motion (0.5-s contraction /0.5-s rest).

Old people; Very old people; Young people

Cycloergometer body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test (BW-QIF Test) DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The BW-QIF test is an interval incremental contraction test including blocks of discontinuous 100-s effort. Neuromuscular evaluation of the knee extensors between blocks (duration 25 s) includes one maximal voluntary contraction, one contraction at the 60% of the actual maximal force and at the 80% of the actual maximal force. During each contraction, transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex will be delivered to assess corticospinal voluntary activation (central fatigue). Single-twitch electrical stimulations will be delivered on the femoral nerve during the maximal voluntary contraction and at rest to evaluate peripheral fatigue. The BW-QIF test blocks on the cycloergometer consist in 100 s of cycling at 60 Revolution Per Minute (RPM).

Old people; Very old people; Young people

Isometric BW-QIF Test (Body weight-based quadriceps intermittent fatigue test) DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

The BW-QIF test is an interval incremental contraction test including blocks of discontinuous 100-s effort. Neuromuscular evaluation of the knee extensors between blocks (duration 25 s) includes one maximal voluntary contraction, one contraction at the 60% of the actual maximal force and at the 80% of the actual maximal force. During each contraction, transcranial magnetic stimulation over the motor cortex will be delivered to assess corticospinal voluntary activation (central fatigue). Single-twitch electrical stimulations will be delivered on the femoral nerve during the maximal voluntary contraction and at rest to evaluate peripheral fatigue. The isometric BW-QIF test blocks consist in 10 contractions (5-s contraction / 5-s rest).

Old people; Very old people; Young people

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Belong to a defined age group: young (18 to 35 years old inclusive), old (60 to 80 years old inclusive) and very old (81 to 95 years old inclusive),
• Signed written consent form
• Being affiliated to social security

You may not qualify if:

• Pathology or surgery resulting in a locomotor disorder, within 6 months prior to the study,
• Chronic neurological, motor or psychological pathologies
• Use of neuro-active substances likely to alter cortico-spinal excitability (hypnotics, antiepileptics, psychotropic drugs, muscle relaxants) for the duration of the study.
• Contraindication to magnetic stimulation:
• Cardiac or respiratory insufficiency.
• Cardiac pacemaker.
• Cardiac valve wear and serious cardiovascular diseases.
• Presence of prosthetic material or ferromagnetic foreign bodies in the head.
• Presence of cochlear implants or ocular prosthetic material.
• History of neurosurgical interventions.
• Neurological diseases that may affect brain structures and cognitive abilities (e.g., intracranial tumour, multiple sclerosis, history of stroke or traumatic brain injury).
• History of comitiality, contralateral knee pathology or pathology of the musculoskeletal system.
• Mini Mental State Examination \< 20

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint Etienne: lead

Study Sites (1)

CHU de Saint-Etienne

Saint-Etienne, France

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Luneau E, Rozand V, Rimaud D, Foschia C, Millet GY. Walking Economy and Preferred Speed in Old and Very Old Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2025 Feb 1;57(2):400-412. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003565. Epub 2024 Sep 17.

  PMID: 39285590 DERIVED

• Varesco G, Luneau E, Millet GY, Feasson L, Lapole T, Rozand V. Age-Related Differences between Old and Very Old Men in Performance and Fatigability Are Evident after Cycling but Not Isometric or Concentric Single-Limb Tasks. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2023 Sep 1;55(9):1641-1650. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003181. Epub 2023 Apr 4.

  PMID: 37580874 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Mental Status and Dementia Tests; Walk Test

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neuropsychological Tests; Psychological Tests; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Exercise Test; Heart Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis

Study Officials

• Léonard FEASSON, MD PhD

  CHU SAINT-ETIENNE

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 29, 2020
• First Posted: August 18, 2020
• Study Start: April 13, 2021
• Primary Completion: May 9, 2022
• Study Completion: June 3, 2022
• Last Updated: October 26, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

FR (1)