Source: Annual Congress 2013 –The best abstracts in pulmonary rehabilitation and chronic care (sponsored by MOTEK Medical)
Disease area: Airway diseases

Abstract

Introduction: COPD patients present anatomical alterations in the cerebral cortex and inadequate cortical responses during cognitive tasks (Dodd, J.W. et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2012; 186(3): 240-245). In addition, exercise intolerance could be modulated by central nervous system (Gagnon, P. et al. Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. 2012; 186(7): 606-615). The hypothesis of cortical implication in the COPD loss of peripheral muscle force is highly relevant. This study thus sought to determine whether cortical motor areas are inadequately activated during lower-limb muscle contractions in COPD.
Methods: Fifteen COPD patients (GOLD 2 and 3) and fifteen sex/age-matched healthy controls were tested during maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) and 3 randomized submaximal contractions for 20 s at 10, 30 and 50% of MVC. Cortical activation was assessed through oxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([Oxy-Hb]) variations over premotor (CPM), prefrontal (PFC), primary motor (M1) and primary somatosensory (S1) cortical areas with multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy.
Results: Quadriceps strength (QMVC) was lower in patients (p<.05). M1[Oxy-Hb] and PMC[Oxy-Hb] were significantly lower in patients during MVC and submaximal contractions (p<.05), except for 10 and 30% from PMC. QMVC variance was significantly explained by M1[Oxy-Hb] and PMC[Oxy-Hb] (multiple r=0.76). S1[Oxy-Hb] and PFC[Oxy-Hb] showed no significant differences.
Conclusion: COPD patients exhibit selective inadequate activation of motor cortical areas during quadriceps contraction, which indicates that an impairment of central motor command is involved in the loss of muscle force production in COPD.

Rating:

Share or cite this content

Citations should be made in the following way:
F. Alexandre, N. Héraud, N. Oliver, A. Varray (Montpellier, Lodève, France). Inadequate activation of cortical motor areas during maximal and submaximal contractions of the knee extensors in COPD patients. Eur Respir J 2013; 42: Suppl. 57, 4653

Member's Comments

No comment yet.

Related content which might interest you: High-intensity knee extensor training restores skeletal muscle function in COPD patients Source: Eur Respir J 2012; 40: 1130-1136 Year: 2012 Inspiratory muscle training decreases ankle proprioceptive use during balance control in patients with COPD Source: International Congress 2018 – Respiratory muscle function, postural control and breathing exercises in chronic respiratory conditions Year: 2018 Association between 4-metre gait speed and isometric knee extension muscle strength in patients with interstitial lung disease Source: International Congress 2018 – Clinical aspects of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) and CTD-ILD: diagnosis, monitoring and treatment Year: 2018 Isometric limb muscle endurance in normal and COPD Source: Eur Respir J 2001; 18: Suppl. 33, 83s Year: 2001 Effect of Taichi and treadmill exercise on quadriceps strength in patients with COPD Source: Annual Congress 2013 –The latest insights in pulmonary rehabilitation (part 1) Year: 2013 Minimal important difference of quadriceps femoris muscle strength after high-intensity exercise training in patients with COPD: Preliminary results Source: International Congress 2014 – Physical activity, exercise and physiotherapy in patients with COPD Year: 2014 Reliability of maximal voluntary strength and endurance measurement of the quadriceps with a hand held dynamometer in COPD patients Source: International Congress 2016 – Physiotherapy interventions and assessment options in hospitalised patients Year: 2016 Feasibility of progressive knee-extension strength training using ankle weight cuffs in patients hospitalized with COPD for acute exacerbation Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Exercise, physiotherapy techniques and assessment in COPD Year: 2013 Quadriceps strength is not related to inspiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD Source: Eur Respir J 2002; 20: Suppl. 38, 497s Year: 2002 Non invasive ventilation during exercise prevents quadriceps fatigue in severe COPD patients Source: International Congress 2015 – Dyspnoea and respiratory muscle mechanics dysfunction in disease Year: 2015 Cardiorespiratory demand during upper and lower limb resistance exercises in patients with COPD Source: International Congress 2016 – Effects of exercise training interventions in chronic respiratory disease Year: 2016 Isokinetic skeletal muscle strength in normal and COPD Source: Eur Respir J 2001; 18: Suppl. 33, 83s Year: 2001 Relevance of assessing quadriceps endurance in patients with COPD Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: 129-136 Year: 2004 Responsiveness and MID estimates for isokinetic quadriceps endurance in COPD patients following pulmonary rehabilitation Source: Virtual Congress 2021 – Pulmonary rehabilitation in clinical conditions Year: 2021 Activation of quadriceps muscle during neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) Source: Annual Congress 2005 - Muscle training and chronic lung disease Year: 2005 Targeting the muscles in pulmonary rehabilitation Source: Annual Congress 2006 - COPD: a systemic disease affecting the muscles Year: 2006 Perception of leg fatigue and contractile fatigue of quadriceps during exercise in COPD Source: Eur Respir J 2004; 24: Suppl. 48, 217s Year: 2004 Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on quadriceps fatigability during exercise training Source: Annual Congress 2008 - Rehabilitation and influencing factors Year: 2008 Fatiguing inspiratory muscle work accelerates limb muscle fatigue Source: Eur Respir J 2005; 26: Suppl. 49, 571s Year: 2005 Dynamic recruitment and maximal force of respiratory muscles in healthy subjects undergone strenuous exercise Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Respiratory muscles at rest and during exercise: from physiology to clinical context Year: 2013