Effect of aging on sensory nerve conduction study parameters.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Electrophysiology
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Longitudinal research on nerve conduction study (NCS) parameter changes over time is scarce.
• Previous studies relied on cross-sectional designs, limiting insights into individual nerve changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the longitudinal changes in sensory nerve conduction study (NCS) parameters over approximately 5.4 years.
• To compare the rate of change in NCS parameters between median and ulnar nerves.

Main Methods:

• A cohort study involving 440 working adults.
• Antidromic sensory NCS of both hands performed at two time-points, 4.3-7.0 years apart.
• Mixed-models analysis controlling for hand, gender, age, and BMI.

Main Results:

• Over 5 years, median nerve amplitudes decreased (2.3 microV), latencies increased (0.11 ms peak, 0.07 ms onset), and conduction velocities decreased (1.1 m/s).
• Ulnar nerve changes were smaller: 1.75 microV amplitude decrease, 0.06 ms peak latency increase, 0.04 ms onset latency increase, and 0.71 m/s velocity decrease.
• The rate of change was not influenced by baseline hand dominance, gender, age, or BMI.
• Median nerve parameter changes were significantly greater than ulnar nerve changes.

Conclusions:

• This study provides longitudinal data on normative changes in sensory NCS parameters.
• Findings support cross-sectional observations but offer a more precise estimation of temporal nerve changes.
• Median nerves exhibit a greater rate of change in certain parameters compared to ulnar nerves over time.