Aging-related changes in skeletal muscle - Mechanisms and interventions

The aging-related motor handicap and the growing population of elderly citi zens have enormous socioeconomic effects on the modern healthcare system. T he mechanisms underlying impaired motor performance in old age are complex and involve the central and peripheral nervous systems and the muscle tissu e itself. It is widely accepted that the aging-related loss of muscle mass, strength and quality has a significant detrimental impact on motor perform ance in old age and on the ability to recover from falls, resulting in an i ncreased risk of fractures and dependency. Therefore, the prevention of fal ls and gait instability is a very important safety issue, and different int ervention Strategies have been used to improve motor performance among the aging population. There is general consensus that physical exercise is a po werful intervention to obtain long term benefits on muscle function, reduce the frequency of falls, and to maintain independence and a high quality of life in older persons. The results from studies using different types of h ormone supplementation therapies have shown interesting and encouraging eff ects on skeletal muscle mass and function. However, the potential risks wit h both growth hormone and androgen treatment are not known and long term cl inical trials are needed to address safety concerns and the effects on skel etal muscle. Recent advancements in cellular/molecular, physiological and molecular biol ogical techniques will significantly facilitate our understanding of aging- related impairments of muscle function and contribute to the evaluation of different intervention strategies.