Neuromuscular ageing: neural drivers of sarcopenia and functional decline

Sarcopenia is a major feature of ageing and is characterized by a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and functional capacity. While traditionally viewed as a muscle-centered disorder, accumulating evidence indicates that age-related alterations of the nervous system play a critical role in its development and progression. Structural and functional changes in the central nervous system, degeneration of motor neurons, remodeling of motor units, and impairment of neuromuscular junctions contribute to reduced neural drive and compromised muscle activation. In addition, altered sensorimotor integration, neuroinflammation, and neurodegenerative processes further amplify neuromuscular dysfunction. Understanding sarcopenia as a neuromuscular disorder underscores the need to investigate neural ageing as a key determinant of muscle decline and functional impairment in older adults.The goal of this Research Topic is to advance our understanding of how ageing-related changes in the nervous system contribute to the onset and progression of sarcopenia. Despite a growing recognition of neural involvement, the relative contributions of central and peripheral neural mechanisms to muscle ageing remain incompletely defined. This topic aims to address this gap by integrating evidence across multiple levels of analysis, from molecular and cellular alterations to system-level motor control and whole-body function. By bringing together experimental, clinical, and translational research, we seek to identify neural pathways that drive muscle weakness and impaired motor coordination occurring with ageing. This Research Topic welcomes contributions addressing neural mechanisms underlying ageing and sarcopenia across the central and peripheral nervous systems. Relevant themes include, but are not limited to, motor neuron degeneration, motor unit remodeling, neuromuscular junction integrity and plasticity, alterations in cortical and spinal motor control, sensorimotor integration, neuroinflammation, and interactions between neural and muscular mitochondrial dysfunction. Studies examining neural adaptations to physical activity, disuse, or therapeutic interventions in ageing populations are also encouraged. Multidisciplinary methodologies, including neurophysiology, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and omics-based analyses, are welcome in this research study. Topic editors: Riccardo Borzuola, Giovanni Martino, Lorenzo Rum Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80075/neuromuscular-ageing-neural-drivers-of-sarcopenia-and-functional-decline