Low-Frequency Electrical Stimulation of Denervated Skeletal Muscle Retards Muscle and Trabecular Bone Loss in Aged Rats.

Electrical stimulation (ES)-induced muscle contraction has multiple effects; however, mechano-responsiveness of bone tissue declines with age. Here, we investigated whether daily low-frequency ES-induced muscle contraction treatment reduces muscle and bone loss and ameliorates bone fragility in early-stage disuse musculoskeletal atrophy in aged rats. Twenty-seven-month-old male rats were assigned to age-matched groups comprising the control (CON), sciatic nerve denervation (DN), or DN with direct low-frequency ES (DN+ES) groups.

Effect of electrical stimulation-induced muscle force and streptomycin treatment on muscle and trabecular bone mass in early-stage disuse musculoskeletal atrophy.

Objectives: The aim was to determine whether daily muscle electrical stimulation (ES) and streptomycin treatment would have positive or negative effects on trabecular bone mass in disuse rats.

Methods: Seven-week-old male F344 rats were randomly divided into five groups of eight animals each: an age-matched control group (CON); a sciatic denervation group (DN); a DN + direct electrical stimulation group (DN+ES); a DN + streptomycin treatment group (DN+SM); and a DN+ES+SM group. The tibialis anterior (TA) muscles in all ES groups were stimulated with 16mA at 10Hz for 30 min/day, six days/week, for one week.

Electrical stimulation of denervated rat skeletal muscle retards trabecular bone loss in early stages of disuse musculoskeletal atrophy.

Objectives: We aimed to determine the intensity of muscle stimulation required to prevent structural failure as well as bone and skeletal muscle loss after denervation-induced disuse.

Methods: Seven-week-old rats (weight, 198-225 g) were randomly assigned to age-matched groups comprising control (CON), sciatic nerve denervation (DN) or direct electrical stimulation (ES) one day later [after denervation] with 4, 8 and 16 mA at 10 Hz for 30 min/day, six days/week, for one or three weeks. Bone architecture and mean osteoid thickness in histologically stained tibial sections and tension in tibialis anterior muscles were assessed at one and three weeks after denervation.

Changes over time in structural plasticity of trabecular bone in rat tibiae immobilized by reversible sciatic denervation.

Objective: The present study aimed to clarify the structural recovery, and to compare the time course of morphological changes in trabeculae and the process of bone mass change in rat tibiae following temporary immobilization of hind limb by sciatic neurectomy or nerve freezing.

Methods: In 11-week-old male Fischer 344 rats, 4-5 mm of the sciatic nerve was removed (neurectomy group) or frozen by 5-second application of a stainless steel rod immersed in liquid nitrogen (nerve-freezing group). Quantitative changes in cancellous bone were assessed by histomorphometry.