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High-density Surface Electromyography as Biomarker of Muscle Aging
Loubna Imrani1, Sofiane Boudaoud1, Clément Lahaye2
1Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), CNRS UMR 7338 Biomechanics and Bioengineering, Centre de Recherche de Royallieu- Alliance Sorbonne Université, Compiegne, France.
Summary
High-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) effectively detects muscle aging and early aging from physical inactivity. This noninvasive method surpasses traditional clinical and DXA measurements in assessing muscle health across different ages and activity levels.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Biomedical Engineering
- Muscle Physiology
Background:
- Sarcopenia, a muscle disease, involves adverse changes that accelerate with age.
- Early detection of muscle aging is crucial for preventative strategies.
- Sedentary lifestyles are a significant risk factor for sarcopenia and accelerated muscle aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of high-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) in detecting healthy and accelerated muscle aging.
- To compare HD-sEMG's performance against traditional methods like DXA, ultrasonography, handgrip strength, and physical performance tests.
- To investigate the impact of physical activity levels on muscle aging markers detected by HD-sEMG.
Main Methods:
- The CHRONOS study analyzed HD-sEMG signals from 91 healthy adults (25-75 years) categorized by age and physical activity (active vs. sedentary).
- HD-sEMG data from the rectus femoris during sit-to-stand trials were assessed for muscular contraction intensity and dynamics.
- Muscle mass (DXA, ultrasonography), handgrip strength, and physical performance were measured for comparison.
Main Results:
- HD-sEMG indexes correlated significantly with age in active subjects and showed significant differences across age categories.
- Sedentary individuals aged 45-54 exhibited different HD-sEMG indexes compared to their active counterparts.
- Sedentary subjects' HD-sEMG indexes resembled those of older active individuals (≥55 years), indicating accelerated aging.
- Ultrasonography showed age-related differences in muscle thickness but not activity-related differences.
- Clinical parameters did not significantly differ across aging and physical activity levels.
Conclusions:
- HD-sEMG is a sensitive, noninvasive tool for assessing muscle aging and identifying "early aging" due to physical inactivity.
- HD-sEMG outperforms traditional clinical and DXA parameters in detecting age-related muscle changes and inactivity effects.
- This technology offers a promising approach for early intervention and prevention of sarcopenia.
