Acta Physiologica Sinica 2013;65(1):96-100

Relationship between simulated weightlessness-induced muscle spindle change and muscle atrophy.

Xue-Hong ZHAO 1 ; Xiao-Li FAN

Affiliations

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Country

China

Language

Chinese

Abstract

One of the most important and urgent issues in the field of space medicine is to reveal the potential mechanism underlying the disused muscle atrophy during the weightlessness or microgravity environment. It will conduce to find out effective methods for the prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy during a long-term space flight. Increasing data show that muscle spindle discharges are significantly altered following the hindlimb unloading, suggesting a vital role in the progress of muscle atrophy. In the last decades, we have made a series of studies on changes in the morphological structure and function of muscle spindle following simulated weightlessness. This review will discuss our main results and related researches for understanding of muscle spindle activities during microgravity environment, which may provide a theoretic basis for effective prevention and treatment of muscle atrophy induced by weightlessness.