The role of the neural stimulus in regulating skeletal muscle hypertrophy

Alix-Fages C, Del Vecchio A, Baz-Valle E, Santos-Concejero J, Balsalobre-Fernandez C (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

European Journal of Applied Physiology Springer

DOI: 10.1007/s00421-022-04906-6

Abstract

Resistance training is frequently performed with the goal of stimulating muscle hypertrophy. Due to the key roles motor unit recruitment and mechanical tension play to induce muscle growth, when programming, the manipulation of the training variables is oriented to provoke the correct stimulus. Although it is known that the nervous system is responsible for the control of motor units and active muscle force, muscle hypertrophy researchers and trainers tend to only focus on the adaptations of the musculotendinous unit and not in the nervous system behaviour. To better guide resistance exercise prescription for muscle hypertrophy and aiming to delve into the mechanisms that maximize this goal, this review provides evidence-based considerations for possible effects of neural behaviour on muscle growth when programming resistance training, and future neurophysiological measurement that should be tested when training to increase muscle mass. Combined information from the neural and muscular structures will allow to understand the exact adaptations of the muscle in response to a given input (neural drive to the muscle). Changes at different levels of the nervous system will affect the control of motor units and mechanical forces during resistance training, thus impacting the potential hypertrophic adaptations. Additionally, this article addresses how neural adaptations and fatigue accumulation that occur when resistance training may influence the hypertrophic response and propose neurophysiological assessments that may improve our understanding of resistance training variables that impact on muscular adaptations.

Authors with CRIS profile

Alessandro Del Vecchio Juniorprofessur für Neuromuscular Physiology and Neural Interfacing

Involved external institutions

Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) ES Spain (ES) University of Basque Country / Universidad del Pais Vasco (UPV) / Euskal Herriko Unibersitatea (EHU) ES Spain (ES)

How to cite

APA:

Alix-Fages, C., Del Vecchio, A., Baz-Valle, E., Santos-Concejero, J., & Balsalobre-Fernandez, C. (2022). The role of the neural stimulus in regulating skeletal muscle hypertrophy. European Journal of Applied Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-022-04906-6

MLA:

Alix-Fages, Carlos, et al. "The role of the neural stimulus in regulating skeletal muscle hypertrophy." European Journal of Applied Physiology (2022).

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