Muscle Fatigue and Muscle Weakness: What We Know and What We Wish We Did
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EDITORIAL published: 30 May 2013 doi: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00125 Muscle fatigue and muscle weakness: what we know and what we wish we did Christina Karatzaferi 1,2* and P.Bryant Chase 3 1 Department of Physical Education and Sports Science, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Greece 2 Department of Kinesiology, Center for Research and Technology Thessaly, Trikala, Greece 3 Department of Biological Science, The Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA *Correspondence: [email protected] Edited by: Peter J. Reiser, Ohio State University, USA Reviewed by: Peter J. Reiser, Ohio State University, USA This Research Topic on muscle fatigue and muscle weakness 1996; Karatzaferi et al., 2003, 2008). These effects may be due presents the latest ideas, arguments, and evidence from investi- to direct binding to proteins, or due to a more global alteration gations at the molecular level to macroscopic observations on of cellular energetics (GATP )inthemyocyte(Karatzaferi et al., whole animals including humans, in an effort to identify criti- 2004). cal factors underlying fatigue and weakness in health and disease. In this Research Topic, Debold (2012) consolidates the most Skeletal muscles confer movement to the human body using recent information, including single molecule assays and molec- vast amounts of energy provided through complex metabolic ular biological approaches, about the mechanisms by which Pi, pathways such that whole body mobility and energy balance H+, and ADP inhibit actomyosin cross-bridge cycling and thin are largely dictated by muscle activity. Conversely, muscle func- filament Ca2+-activation. Allen and Trajanovska (2012) provide tion reflects overall health status as exercise history and chronic a synthesis on the multiple roles of Pi in fatigue, including conditions affect either or both muscle quality, including pro- novel results from their group, showing that Pi is even more tein and fat content, and muscle mass. In health, muscle fatigue detrimental when its effects on Ca2+ release are combined with is temporary and recovery occurs rapidly, and recreational or inhibition of actomyosin force generation and Ca2+ activation. competitive athletes are always pursuing the next best fatigue In addition to activity-driven changes in metabolites and cellular “fix.” However, after inactivity—whether due to lifestyle choices, energetics, mutations in sarcomeric proteins have been associ- injury or chronic disease—muscle fatigue may occur prema- ated with prolonged muscle weakness in myopathies. Moving turely and persist, endangering a person’s safety because weak- away from actomyosin events, Ottenheijm et al. (2012) consider ness can lead to falls that may result in loss of independence. the role of nebulin in sarcomere function, and how transgenic Individuals are then trapped in a self-perpetuating, vicious cycle mouse models can inform us about mutations in the giant fila- of inactivity, disuse muscle atrophy/weakness, and metabolic mentous protein nebulin, and mutations in other thin filament disturbance that compounds morbidity (i.e., causing metabolic and closely related proteins that are associated with nemaline syndrome, obesity, hypertension, cachexia) and eventually pre- myopathy. mature death. Such issues transcend many scientific disciplines To fully test our understanding of muscle fatigue, appropri- and it becomes evident that not only recognizing fundamen- ately detailed models of muscle function will be necessary. Röhrle tal factors in muscle fatigue and muscle weakness is necessary, et al. (2012) make major advances in that arena by presenting a but also evaluating their interaction with factors outside of the multi-scale, finite element model of the human tibialis anterior. muscle is essential if we aspire to design better interventions Their model has the advantage of allowing simulation of fatigue that improve muscle function and thus improve quality of life at the cellular and motor unit levels, and can incorporate altered and life prognosis for the ageing population and chronic disease recruitment patterns of motor units due to central components of patients. fatigue. Thus their model can serve an invaluable role as we bridge Fatigue and weakness may stem from changes within myocytes our understanding between the cellular and tissue levels. that affect cross-bridge function or Ca2+ activation, to changes Muscle’s plasticity is most readily evident in its adaptation within the circulation or function of the nervous system. Within to repeated exercise, and conversely to inactivity that may be myocytes, metabolic products of ATP hydrolysis in the cytoplasm associated with various injuries and disease states. Bogdanis such as inorganic phosphate (Pi), protons (H+ or pH), and ADP (2012) reviews the long-term changes in muscle at the molec- have often been considered as agents that could disrupt force ular, cellular, and tissue levels, as well as the corresponding generation at the sarcomere level (Fabiato and Fabiato, 1978; functional changes that are associated with these adaptations to Cooke and Pate, 1985; Metzger and Moss, 1987; Nosek et al., activity level history. Fatigability is a key functional character- 1987, 1990; Chase and Kushmerick, 1988, 1995; Cooke et al., istic of different muscle fiber types, and can vary greatly with 1988; Godt and Nosek, 1989; Pate and Cooke, 1989; Metzger activity, or inactivity, and Bogdanis evaluates the utility of high- and Moss, 1990a,b; Pate et al., 1995, 1998; Wiseman et al., intensity bouts of exercise for modulating fatigability by training, www.frontiersin.org May 2013 | Volume 4 | Article 125 | 1 Karatzaferi and Chase Research topic: muscle fatigue or as a component in therapy. Bogdanis’ section on effects of reac- the view that fatigue, as experienced by patients undergo- tive oxygen species (ROS) sets the stage for the succinct review ing routine hemodialysis, might be better addressed by care- on antioxidants by Hernández et al. (2012).Despitethepop- givers as a syndrome and not with isolated measures since ularity of antioxidants as nutritional supplements, Hernández its apparent complexity requires a cross-disciplinary therapeu- et al. report that their utility for either minimizing or speeding tic approach. While hemodialysis and some other patients may recovery from fatigue appears to be limited to specific mus- be afflicted with specific syndromes, the rest of us have all cle types. Moreover, Bogdanis’ (2012) section on neural fac- heard the expression “mind over matter.” Does it apply to tors opens the discussion on the role of non-muscle factors in muscle? Noakes (2012) concludes the series with a challenging fatigue and serves as a bridge to the articles by Kobilo and review, partly historical in nature, arguing that the key com- van Praag (2012), Sakkas and Karatzaferi (2012),andNoakes ponent in fatigue is central. The author discusses the accepted (2012). models on the limits of human exercise performance, and What is the extent to which muscle activity and fatigue presents his central governor model of exercise regulation, argu- influence the function of other physiological systems of the ing that fatigue is brain-derived, being an important homeo- body, particularly the nervous system upon which skeletal mus- static mechanism that protects an organism from catastrophic cle depends for activation, and how much of fatigability is overexertion. determined centrally? In the commentary by Kobilo and van It is our sincere hope that this Research Topic will not Praag (2012), pharmacological activation of AMP-activated pro- only provide readers with new insights and viewpoints on tein kinase (AMPK)—a metabolic regulator that is activated the issue of muscle fatigue and weakness, but will also stim- during exercise—is shown to alter performance in a test of ulate novel ideas, experiments, and further advances in this spatial memory and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice in a research field. time-dependent manner. How can diseases and treatments mod- ify the experience and presentation of fatigue? In their opin- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ion article, Sakkas and Karatzaferi (2012) consider available We thank all authors and reviewers for their invaluable contribu- evidence on the complex symptomatology of fatigue in renal tions in this Research Topic. Christina Karatzaferi is supported by patients on hemodialysis treatment. 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