Cited by 401Muscle Physiology and DisordersMuscle metabolism and nutritionNutrition and Health in Aging

Skeletal muscle atrophy during short-term disuse: Implications for age-related sarcopenia

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Wall, Benjamin T., Dirks, Marlou L., van Loon, Luc J.C.·2013·Ageing Research Reviews

Abstract

Situations such as the recovery from injury and illness can lead to enforced periods of muscle disuse or unloading. Such circumstances lead to rapid skeletal muscle atrophy, loss of functional strength and a multitude of related negative health consequences. The elderly population is particularly vulnerable to the acute challenges of muscle disuse atrophy. Any loss of skeletal muscle mass must be underpinned by a chronic imbalance between muscle protein synthesis and breakdown rates. It is recognized that muscle atrophy during prolonged (>10 days) disuse is brought about primarily by declines in post-absorptive and post-prandial muscle protein synthesis rates, without a clear contribution from changes in muscle protein breakdown. Few data are available on the impact of short-term disuse (<10 days) on muscle protein turnover in humans. However, indirect evidence indicates that considerable muscle atrophy occurs during this early phase, and is likely attributed to a rapid increase in muscle protein breakdown accompanied by the characteristic decline in muscle protein synthesis. Short-term disuse atrophy is of particular relevance in the development of sarcopenia, as it has been suggested that successive short periods of muscle disuse, due to sickness or injury, accumulate throughout an individual's lifespan and contributes considerably to the net muscle loss observed with aging. Research is warranted to elucidate the physiological and molecular basis for rapid muscle loss during short periods of disuse. Such mechanistic insight will allow the characterization of nutritional, exercise and/or pharmacological interventions to prevent or attenuate muscle loss during periods of disuse and therefore aid in the treatment of age-related sarcopenia.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.arr.2013.07.003

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Authors
Wall, B. T., Dirks, M. L., & van Loon, L. J. C.
Affiliations
Maastricht University Medical Centre (NL)
Venue
Ageing Research Reviews
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-09
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
898-906
ISSN
1568-1637 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2159802435
Cited by
400
References
131
Citations by year
2026: 27 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 33 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 6
FWCI
2.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Ageing Research Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (publishedVersion)
  • Research Bank (Australian Catholic University) (submittedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (submittedVersion)
  • VUBIR (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Publications (Maastricht University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
Keywords
skeletal muscle atrophy, muscle disuse, age-related sarcopenia, muscle protein synthesis, muscle protein degradation, muscle protein turnover, muscle unloading, aging, sarcopenia prevention
MeSH terms
Aged, Aging, Humans, Muscular Atrophy, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscular Disorders, Atrophic, Sarcopenia

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