par Klass, Malgorzata ;Baudry, Stéphane ;Duchateau, Jacques
Référence European Journal of Applied Physiology, 111, 8, page (1909-1916)
Publication Publié, 2011
Article révisé par les pairs
Résumé : During voluntary contractions, motor neurone activity is modulated by descending input and sensory feedback. Impaired excitatory afferent feedback with ageing may, therefore, alter motor control. This study investigated the age-related changes in afferent feedback through the recording of reflex responses during voluntary muscle activation. Short- and long-latency components of the stretch reflex and Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) were recorded during voluntary contractions (10% of maximal voluntary contraction; MVC) of the ankle dorsiflexor muscles of young and elderly adults (≥70 years). Furthermore, the modulation of spinal reflex excitability was analyzed at different torque levels (10-50% MVC). The short-latency stretch reflex and the H-reflex areas were similar in the two age groups at 10% MVC whereas the area of the long-latency component of the stretch reflex augmented with ageing (P < 0.05). However, the area of the H-reflex increased linearly with the level of contraction up to 50% MVC in young adults, whereas it slightly increased to 30% MVC and plateaued thereafter in elderly adults. The absence of age-related changes in the short-latency stretch reflex and H-reflex areas suggests that the reflex circuitry and the sensitivity of the muscle spindles are not substantially affected by ageing. The modest increase in the H-reflex area with the contraction intensity in elderly adults, however, indicates that the modulation of afferent feedback is reduced with advancing age. This observation, associated with a greater long-latency stretch reflex, suggests that elderly adults rely more on central than peripheral mechanisms to regulate motor output of the dorsiflexor muscles.

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