The effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation applied at different muscle lengths on muscle architecture and sarcomere morphology in rats.

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is often used to increase muscle strength and functionality. Muscle architecture is important for the skeletal muscle functionality. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of NMES applied at different muscle lengths on skeletal muscle architecture. Twenty-four rats were randomly assigned to four groups (two NMES groups and two control groups). NMES was applied on the extensor digitorum longus muscle at long muscle length, which is the longest and stretched position of the muscle at 170° plantar flexion, and at medium muscle length, which is the length of the muscle at 90° plantar flexion. A control group was created for each NMES group. NMES was applied for 8 weeks, 10 min/day, 3 days/week. After 8 weeks, muscle samples were removed at the NMES intervention lengths and examined macroscopically, and microscopically using a transmission electron microscope and streo-microscope. Muscle damage, and architectural properties of the muscle including pennation angle, fibre length, muscle length, muscle mass, physiological cross-sectional area, fibre length/muscle length, sarcomere length, sarcomere number were then evaluated. There was an increase in fibre length and sarcomere number, and a decrease in pennation angle at both lengths. In the long muscle length group, muscle length was increased, but widespread muscle damage was observed. These results suggest that the intervention of NMES at long muscle length can increase the muscle length but also causes muscle damage. In addition, the greater longitudinal increase in muscle length may be a result of the continuous degeneration-regeneration cycle.

Effects of melatonin hormone on hippocampus in pinealectomized rats: an immunohistochemical and biochemical study.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of melatonin on antioxidant status were examined in pinealectomized rats using enzymatic, histological and immunohistochemical techniques. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on hippocampal apoptosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Wistar rats (n=21) were divided into 3 groups: Group I and group II were designated as control (sham-pinealectomy) and pinealectomized rats, respectively. Rats in group III were pinealectomized and injected daily with melatonin (1 mg/kg) for 3 months beginning at day 7 after surgery. At the end of experimental period, all rats were killed by decapitation. The brains of the rats were removed and the hippocampus tissue was obtained from all brain specimens. The right hippocampal specimens of all rats were used for determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The left hippocampus tissue specimens of all animals were used for immunohistochemical and histological evaluation. RESULTS: The levels of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly decreased, and MDA levels were significantly increased in pinealectomized rats compared to the controls. In the histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of this group, increase of pyknotic cells, vacuolar degeneration and apoptosis were observed. However, increased SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activities, and decreased MDA levels were detected in the rats administered melatonin after pinealectomy. Furthermore, histological and apoptotic changes in hippocampus caused by pinealectomy were lost in the rats treated with melatonin. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study revealed that pinealectomy-induced oxidative damage and morphological changes in the hippocampal tissue were suppressed by melatonin.