Brain and Muscle Plasticity During Immobilization

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Muscle Atrophy
• Interventions: Behavioral: Immobilization

• Registration Number: NCT05115643
• Lead Sponsor: McGill University

Brief Summary

Patients in rehabilitation may undergo periods of prolonged limb immobilization in response to injury, surgery, or illness. Due to disuse, the size and strength of muscles controlling the affected limb can decrease significantly, possibly resulting in physical impairment or lower quality of life during the recovery phase. Prior immobilization studies have shown that the rate and degree of decline in muscle strength exceeds that of muscle size, indicating that determinants of muscle strength unrelated to muscle size may further contribute to functional changes during immobilization.

The purpose of this study is to describe the changes in muscle strength, muscle size, corticospinal excitability, voluntary activation, M1 cortical thickness, and resting state functional connectivity following a 2-week limb immobilization period in young women.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2021-10-08
• Study First Submitted: 2021-10-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-11-01
• Study First Posted: 2021-11-10
• Primary Completion: 2022-04-21
• Study Completion: 2022-04-21
• Status Verified: 2022-05
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-05-17
• Last Update Posted: 2022-05-19

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 12

Inclusion Criteria

• Biologically female
• Right-hand dominant
• Body mass index between 18.5-30 kg/m^2 (inclusive)
• Regular menstrual cycle
• Be able to maintain a habitual diet throughout the duration of the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Use of tobacco
• Pregnancy
• A history of brain trauma
• Suffers from a neurological disease or movement disorder
• Peripheral nerve damage
• Use of medications known to affect protein metabolism (i.e., corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or prescription strength acne medications)
• Diagnosed with or suspects having a psychiatric illness
• Use of dietary supplements known to affect muscle size (i.e., creatine, fish oil)
• Past or present diagnosis of an eating disorder by a physician or registered dietician
• Possesses any metal implants (e.g. artificial joints, pacemakers, stents) or non-removeable medical devices that are contraindicative for magnetic resonance imaging (e.g. insulin pumps)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Immobilized arm	Immobilization	Left arm of participant

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in volume of the elbow flexor and extensor muscles, both arms	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Obtained from magnetic resonance images of each arm
Voluntary activation of biceps brachii, both arms	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Measured using peripheral nerve stimulation and an isokinetic dynamometer; estimation of the capacity to voluntarily activate the force-generating elements of the biceps brachii during maximal effort elbow flexion
Change in isometric elbow flexion and extension peak torque, both arms	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Measured using an isokinetic dynamometer; peak torque during static contraction of the elbow flexors and extensors
Change in isokinetic elbow flexion and extension peak torque, both arms	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Measured using an isokinetic dynamometer; peak torque during dynamic contraction of the elbow flexors and extensors
Change in cross-sectional area of the elbow flexor and extensor muscles, both arms	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Obtained from magnetic resonance images of each arm
Change in corticospinal excitability of biceps brachii, both arms	Comparison between before immobilization and 24 hours of left arm immobilization, and before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Measured using transcranial magnetic stimulation; estimation of the efficacy of the corticospinal tract to relay electrical signals to the biceps brachii muscle

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in whole brain resting state functional connectivity	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Obtained from magnetic resonance image of the brain
Change in right and left primary motor cortex thickness	Comparison between before and after 2 weeks of left arm immobilization	Obtained from magnetic resonance image of the brain

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Exercise Metabolism and Nutrition Research Laboratory; 🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec, Canada