Lecture 3 Effects Of Ageing On The Neuromuscular System

Question 1

Which of the following neuromuscular factors is not
associated with a loss of strength with increasing
age?
a) Increase in time to peak contraction
b) Decrease in number of motor units
c) Muscle atrophy
d) Failure of descending drive from motor cortex

Answer 1

d) Failure of descending drive from motor cortex

Question 2

Sarcopenia is the age-associated loss of muscle
mass and strength. Which of the following
contributes the most to the loss of muscle mass
with ageing?
a) Decrease in number and size of type Il fibres
b) Decrease in the number and size of of type I fibres
c) Decrease in the size of motor units
d) An increase in fat mass

Answer 2

a) Decrease in number and size of type Il fibres

Question 3

Which statement best describes the changes in muscular strength across the lifespan?
a) Muscular strength increases during childhood, peaks
during adolescence, plateaus until age 25, after which
it immediately and rapidly declines.
b) Muscular strength increases during childhood and
adolescence, peaks between ages 20 and 30, after which
it gradually declines until the age of 80.
c) Muscular strength increases during childhood and
adolescence, peaks between ages 20 and 30, plateaus
during adulthood before declining rapidly from around
age 60.
d) Muscular strength is consistent throughout the lifespan.

Answer 3

c) Muscular strength increases during childhood and
adolescence, peaks between ages 20 and 30, plateaus
during adulthood before declining rapidly from around
age 60.

Question 4

Online activity content: According to Hakkinen et al. (1998), increases in isometric and dynamic leg strength with training in middle-aged women are associated with:

a) an increase in voluntary activation of agonist muscles
b) a reduction in antagonist muscle activation
c) large increases in muscle cross-sectional area
d) all of the above

Answer 4

a) an increase in voluntary activation of

agonist muscles

Question 5

Online activity content: Which of the following
statements is NOT consistent with the findings
of Fiatarone et al. (1990) in elderly males?:
a) Correlations were found between initial measures of
strength and gait speed.
b) Resistance training led to an increase in knee
extensor strength of 174%.
c) Increases in strength were attributed to hypertrophy alone.
d) Gait speed improved by 48% following training,

Answer 5

c) Increases in strength were attributed to hypertrophy alone.