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Clinical Trial
. 2013 Apr 29:19:309-16.
doi: 10.12659/MSM.883897.

A novel approach for evaluating nerve function in healthy elderly persons: a pilot study

Ken Nishihara  1 , Hisashi Kawai, Naohiko Kanemura, Motohiko Hara, Hideo Naruse, Toshiaki Gomi
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

A novel approach for evaluating nerve function in healthy elderly persons: a pilot study

Ken Nishihara et al. Med Sci Monit. .

Abstract

Background: Motor nerve function decreases with age and can cause abnormalities in motor function. Using newly designed methods, we used evoked electromyograms to evaluate change in motor nerve function.

Material and methods: Motor function was assessed by grip strength, timed up-and-go test, 5-m normal walk, and 5-m fastest walk. In addition, motor nerve conduction velocity was calculated by measuring latency differences (NCV) in elderly and young subjects. We also investigated motor nerve conduction velocity by correlation coefficient (NCVCC) and the difference between NCV and NCVCC (DNCV).

Results: Significant differences were observed in the motor function of elderly and young persons in grip strength, the timed up-and-go test, and the 5-m fastest walk; however, no difference was observed in the 5-m normal walk test. NCVCC was lower than NCV in both elderly and young. The correlation coefficient peak of the NCVCC calculation was lower in elderly than in young. A negative correlation was observed between correlation coefficient peak and DNCV in elderly subjects.

Conclusions: NCVCC compares the overall shape of compound muscle action potential and reflects not only the fastest motor unit, but also the motor nerve conduction velocity of other motor unit components. A significant negative correlation between DNCV and the correlation coefficient peak was observed only in elderly subjects, suggesting that older individuals, including those that maintain a high level of physical strength, experience a loss of motor nerve function. Thus, changes in motor nerve function among elderly persons can potentially be further examined for clinical use.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Example of calculating the motor nerve conduction velocity. This figure shows an example calculation of motor nerve conduction velocity using evoked electromyography (EMG) findings from an elderly and young subject. Motor nerve conduction velocity, NCV, is calculated using the latency difference from the wrist stimulation wave until the start of the action potential of the elbow stimulus (the time difference between solid lines is indicated by arrows in the upper and middle graphs). The correlation coefficient between the evoked EMG is calculated, and the motor nerve conduction velocity, NCVCC, is calculated on the basis of the time taken for the correlation coefficient Rτ to reach its peak (Rτ peak, indicated by the arrow in the lower graph). (A) NCV is 49.1 m/s, NCVCC is 47.4 m/s, and Rτ peaks at 0.95 for the elderly individual, while (B) NCV is 50 m/s, NCVCC is 49 m/s, and Rτ peaks at 0.99 for the young individual.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of calculated values for motor nerve conduction velocity in elderly and young. (A) In calculations of motor nerve conduction velocities for the same subject, whether elderly or young, NCVCC was significantly lower than NCV (** p<0.01, as a dependent sample test). However, neither NCV nor NCVCC significantly differed between age groups. (B) Rτ peak (determined when NCVCC was calculated was calculated) was significantly higher in young as compared with elderly (* p<0.05, as an independent sample test).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Correlation of DNCV of and Rτ peak. (A) A significant, slightly negative correlation was seen when young and old subjects were combined. (B) Among elderly subjects, a significant negative correlation was observed. (C) There was no correlation among young subjects (r=0.33, p=0.35).
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