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Acta Physiologica 2012; Volume 206, Supplement 692
The 63rd National Congress of the Italian Physiological Society
9/21/2012-9/23/2012
Verona, Italy
SHORT-TERM TESTOSTERONE EFFECTS ON NEUROMUSCULAR EXCITABILITY IN HYPOGONADAL MALES
Abstract number: P2.2
FELICI1 F, BAZZUCCHI1 I, SGRO2 P, CONTI1 A, AVERSA3 A, LENZI3 A, DI LUIGI2 L
1Dept of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, Univ. of Rome "Foro Italico"
2Dept of Health Sciences, Univ. of Rome "Foro Italico"
3Dept of Experimental Medicine, Univ. of Rome "La Sapienza"
AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze the short-term effect of testosterone (T) administration on muscle strength and neuromuscular system properties in hypogonadal males. METHODS: Seven hypogonadal males assumed in random order either 80 mg of T gel or a placebo preparation gel (PLA) once a day for 4 consecutive days. Before, 4 and 96 hours after T or PLA gel administration, maximal isometric (MVC) and isokinetic (15, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240°/s) torque of the elbow flexors (EF) were assessed. Single twitches were evoked before and after a fatiguing task. Average muscle fibres conduction velocity (MFCV) of the EMG from the biceps brachii muscle was evaluated. RESULTS: EF maximal torque seems not to be acutely influenced by T during isometric and isokinetic tests. MFCV estimated during these voluntary tests, showed a similar trend in PLA and T conditions without any significant differences between pre and post administration. Four and 96 h after T administration, MFCV of the evoked twitches was decreased with respect to the baseline condition while it remained unchanged after PLA. CONCLUSION: Taken together these results suggest that in hypogonadal men a short-term T gel administration may induce a depression in muscle excitability, as already demonstrated in animals. We could hypothesize that MFCV assessment during evoked twitches may be useful to monitor neuromuscular changes during T substitution in hypogonadal individuals.
To cite this abstract, please use the following information:
Acta Physiologica 2012; Volume 206, Supplement 692 :P2.2