OUTLINE OF STUDIES THESIS

Major Field: Integrative Physiology Complete title of thesis:

Age-associated differences in discharge rate
modulation of human motor units

Faculty Advisor: Professor Roger M. Enoka

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

B.A. University of Colorado at Boulder, 2004 ABSTRACT

M.S. University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006 The nervous system controls muscle force by
modulating motor unit activity, which depends on the
integration of synaptic input by the motor neurons. Due to
significant remodeling of synaptic inputs and intrinsic
properties of motor neurons with advancing age, synaptic
integration presumably differs between young and old adults
and thereby influences the modulation of discharge rate. The
purpose of this dissertation research was to examine the
consequences of aging on motor unit discharge characteristics.
The first project examined age-related differences in the
amount of discharge variability in a hand muscle during index
finger abduction tasks. The purpose was to examine the
influence of motor unit discharge variability on the force
fluctuations in a hand muscle of older adults. The results
provided evidence that discharge variability, which was similar
for young and old adults, had a significant influence on force
fluctuations and that the extent of discharge rate modulation
was reduced in older adults. The purpose of the second study
was to determine how long motor unit activity could be
sustained during a voluntary contraction in humans. The study
examined changes in mean motor unit discharge rate and
discharge variability for the duration that young and old adults
were able to keep a motor unit discharging action potentials.
Despite the absence of change in discharge rate for young
adults, discharge variability exhibited a marked increase. The
duration of motor unit activity in older adults was briefer, yet
discharge variability increased to a similar extent as for young
adults. The purpose of the third project was to compare the
discharge characteristics of motor units recruited during an
isometric contraction that was sustained with the elbow flexor THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
muscles by older adults at target forces that were less than the of
recruitment threshold force of each isolated motor unit. In
contrast to motor units in young adults that discharged action THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
potentials either repetitively or intermittently depending on the at BOULDER
magnitude of the target-force difference, the motor units of old
adults discharged action potentials repetitively regardless of the ----------------------------
target-force difference. These results indicate that the rate
modulation capabilities of the motor unit pool for biceps
DISSERTATION DEFENSE
brachii are reduced in older adults. The purpose of the fourth
study was to compare the discharge characteristics of motor
units when recruited during contractions that required young Michael Andrew Pascoe
and old adults to maintain a constant elbow angle while
supporting a compliant load that was less than the recruitment FOR THE DEGREE
threshold force of an isolated motor unit. The results indicated
that the discharge of motor units in older adults was not
modulated by an increase in load compliance, whereas it was in
young adults. These findings demonstrate that older adults DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
have a reduced ability to modulate motor unit discharge rate,
which must contribute to the decline in motor system
performance with advancing age. Date/Time: Tuesday, November 23, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.

Bldg./Rm: Atlas Building, Room 100

Examining Committee Members:

Dr. Roger Enoka

Dr. David Sherwood
Dr. Ken Wright
Dr. Alaa Ahmed
Dr. Katrina Maluf