The Effect of Lower Limb Combined Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation on Skeletal Muscle Signaling for Glucose Utilization, Myofiber Distribution, and Metabolic Function after Spinal Cord Injury

Amal Alharbi, Jia Li, Erika Womack, Matthew Farrow and Ceren Yarar-Fisher ()
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Amal Alharbi: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
Jia Li: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Erika Womack: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA
Matthew Farrow: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Ceren Yarar-Fisher: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 20, 1-17

Abstract: Maintaining healthy myofiber type and metabolic function early after spinal cord injury (SCI) may prevent chronic metabolic disorders. This study compares the effects of a 2–5 week combined (aerobic + resistance) neuromuscular electrical stimulation (Comb-NMES) regimen versus a sham control treatment on muscle protein signaling for glucose uptake, myofiber type distribution, and metabolic function. Twenty participants (31 ± 9 years of age) with an SCI (C4-L1, AIS level A–C) within 14 days of the SCI were randomly assigned to control ( N = 8) or Comb-NMES ( N = 12). Sessions were given three times per week. Fasting blood samples and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were collected 24–48 h before or after the last session. Western blots were performed to quantify proteins, immunohistochemical analyses determined muscle myofiber distribution, and enzymatic assays were performed to measure serum glucose, insulin, and lipids. Our main findings include a decrease in fasting glucose ( p < 0.05) and LDL-C ( p < 0.05) levels, an upregulation of CamKII and Hexokinase ( p < 0.05), and an increase in type I (+9%) and a decrease in type IIx (−36%) myofiber distribution in response to Comb-NMES. Our findings suggest that maintaining healthy myofiber type and metabolic function may be achieved via early utilization of Comb-NMES.

Keywords: spinal cord injury; neuromuscular electrical stimulation; metabolic function; myofiber type; muscle glucose uptake (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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