Effect of age on sleep onset-related changes in respiratory pump and upper airway muscle function

• Published in: Journal of applied physiology (1985) Vol. 88; no. 5; pp. 1831 - 1839
• Main Authors: Worsnop, Christopher, Kay, Amanda, Kim, Young, Trinder, John, Pierce, Robert
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Am Physiological Soc 01-05-2000; American Physiological Society
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age; Aged; Aging - physiology; Air breathing; Airway Resistance - physiology; Anatomy & physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Diaphragm - physiology; Electroencephalography; Electromyography; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Intercostal Muscles - physiology; Male; Men; Middle Aged; Palatal Muscles - physiology; Respiration; Respiratory Muscles - physiology; Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; Respiratory system; Respiratory system: anatomy, metabolism, gas exchange, ventilatory mechanics, respiratory hemodynamics; Sleep; Sleep - physiology; Tongue - physiology; Vertebrates: respiratory system; Wakefulness - physiology; Human; Upper respiratory tract; Anthropometry; Electrophysiology; Intercostal muscle; Corporal biometry; Respiratory system; Resistance; Body mass index; Sleep; Respiratory muscle; Electromyography; Diaphragm; Pulmonary ventilation; Genioglossus muscle; Age
• DOI: 10.1152/jappl.2000.88.5.1831
• EISSN: 1522-1601
• ISSN: 8750-7587

1  Department of Respiratory Medicine, Austin
and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084; and
2  School of Behavioural Science, The
University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
In normal young men, there
is an abrupt fall in ventilation
( E ), a rise in upper
airway resistance (UAR), and falls in the activities of the diaphragm
(Di), intercostals (IC), genioglossus (GG), and tensor palatini (TP) at
sleep onset. On waking, there is an abrupt increase in
E and fall in UAR and an increase in the activities of Di, IC, GG, and TP. The aim of this study was to
determine whether these changes are age dependent. Nine men aged 20 to
25 yr were compared with nine men aged 42 to 67 yr. Airflow, UAR, Di,
and IC surface electromyograms (EMGs) and the intramuscular EMGs of GG
and TP were recorded. It was found that the falls in IC,
GG, and TP at the transition from  to  electroencephalogram (EEG)
activity were significantly greater in the older than in the younger
men ( P  < 0.05) and that the fall in Di was also greater, although this was only marginally significant ( P  = 0.15). The rise in GG at -to- transitions was also greater in the
older than in the younger men, and there was a trend for TP to be higher.
diaphragm; intercostals; genioglossus; tensor palatini; upper
airway resistance