Phillips S K, Bruce S A, Newton D, Woledge R C
Department of Physiology, University College London.
J Gerontol. 1992 Mar;47(2):M45-9. doi: 10.1093/geronj/47.2.m45.
Maximum voluntary force and cross-sectional area (MVF and CSA) of the human adductor pollicis muscle were compared in groups of young (19-55 years, mean = 28, n = 53) and elderly (74-90 years, mean = 80, n = 39) subjects, of both sexes. Despite the elderly subjects being in good health and active outdoors, they were considerably weaker than the young subjects, their MVF/CSA being 26 +/- 3% (mean +/- SEM) lower. It was found that both young and elderly subjects could fully activate their muscles. Therefore the muscle weakness of old age does not appear to be due to reduced activation and must be caused by another mechanism, possibly biochemical in nature.
比较了年轻组（19 - 55岁，平均年龄 = 28岁，n = 53）和老年组（74 - 90岁，平均年龄 = 80岁，n = 39）男女受试者拇内收肌的最大随意肌力和横截面积（MVF和CSA）。尽管老年受试者身体健康且户外活动活跃，但他们比年轻受试者明显虚弱，其MVF/CSA低26±3%（平均值±标准误）。研究发现，年轻和老年受试者都能充分激活他们的肌肉。因此，老年肌肉无力似乎不是由于激活减少所致，而必定是由另一种机制引起的，可能本质上是生化机制。
