Altered mRNA expression after long-term soleus electrical stimulation training in humans with paralysis

Spinal cord injury can cause muscle atrophy and changes in muscle function. Electrical stimulation training can help prevent or reverse these changes. Researchers studied two individuals with spinal cord injuries who had been receiving electrical stimulation to their soleus muscles for over six years. The study found that electrical stimulation training altered the expression of genes in the trained muscles, leading to improved muscle mass and function.

• 1
  Long-term electrical stimulation training preserved torque, fatigue index, contractile speed, and cross-sectional area in the trained leg compared to the untrained leg.
• 2
  Training decreased the expression of mRNAs required for fast-twitch contractions and myostatin, a hormone that inhibits muscle growth.
• 3
  Training increased the expression of mRNAs that mediate the slow-twitch, oxidative phenotype, including PGC-1α, which inhibits muscle atrophy.