# CONTROL PROPERTIES OF AGED HUMAN MOTOR UNITS

> **NIH NIH R01** · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · 1992 · $76,934

## Abstract

DESCRIPTION:  (Investigator's Abstract) The objective of this proposal is
to determine what strategies aged adults use to control motorneuron firing.
Preliminary work by the Principal Investigator suggests that the elderly
may use alternative schemes for controlling motorneurons.  For example,
unusual derecruitment behavior of motor units, increased synchronization in
the firing of motor units and unusual occurrence of doublet firing have
been observed.  In addition, work from other laboratories has shown loss of
motor units with age despite the need to maintain force and precision in
daily movements.  Experiments are proposed to address the following key
questions:  1) What strategies do older adults use to activate motor units
during voluntary muscle contraction?  2) Do synergistic and antagonistic
muscles adopt alternative strategies for motor action in older individuals?
3) What motor unit control strategies do older adults use to respond to
sudden distrubances in balance?  The experiments described in this proposal
will be conducted in young and old adults using the first dorsal
interosseous and anterior tibialis muscle groups during voluntary effort
ranging up to 100 percent of maximal voluntary strength.  Discharges of
single motor units will be recognized using a specialized quadrifilar
needle electrode and a computer aided technique to decompose the composite
signal into individual motor unit firing trains.  The long term goal is to
determine whether an alternative motor control strategy is used to maintain
optimal motor activity in the elderly.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3121573
- **Project number:** 5R01AG009662-02
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FBYMGMHW4X95
- **Principal Investigator:** GARY P KAMEN
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $76,934
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1991-09-01 → 1994-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3121573

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3121573, CONTROL PROPERTIES OF AGED HUMAN MOTOR UNITS (5R01AG009662-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3121573. Licensed CC0.

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