0000000000024511
AUTHOR
Grazia Maugeri
Morphological Evidence of Telocytes in Skeletal Muscle Interstitium of Exercised and Sedentary Rodents
Skeletal muscle atrophy, resulting from states of hypokinesis or immobilization, leads to morphological, metabolic, and functional changes within the muscle tissue, a large variety of which are supported by the stromal cells populating the interstitium. Telocytes represent a recently discovered population of stromal cells, which has been increasingly identified in several human organs and appears to participate in sustaining cross-talk, promoting regenerative mechanisms and supporting differentiation of local stem cell niche. The aim of this morphologic study was to investigate the presence of Telocytes in the tibialis anterior muscle of healthy rats undergoing an endurance training protoco…
The role of exercise on peripheral nerve regeneration: from animal model to clinical application
Peripheral nerve injury is a complex condition with a variety of signs and symptoms depending on the severity and nerves involved. Peripheral nerve damage may lead to sensory and motor functions deficits and even lifelong disability, causing important socioeconomic costs worldwide. Despite the increase in knowledge of the mechanisms of injury and regeneration, a full functional recovery is still unsatisfying in the majority of patients. It is well known that exercise promotes physical and psychological well-being, by ameliorating general health. In the last years, there has been a growing interest in evaluating the effects of exercise on the peripheral nervous system. Experimental works wit…
Technological advancements in the analysis of human motion and posture management through digital devices
Technological development of motion and posture analyses is rapidly progressing, especially in rehabilitation settings and sport biomechanics. Consequently, clear discrimination among different measurement systems is required to diversify their use as needed. This review aims to resume the currently used motion and posture analysis systems, clarify and suggest the appropriate approaches suitable for specific cases or contexts. The currently gold standard systems of motion analysis, widely used in clinical settings, present several limitations related to marker placement or long procedure time. Fully automated and markerless systems are overcoming these drawbacks for conducting biomechanical…
Exploiting real-world data to monitor physical activity in patients with osteoarthritis: the opportunity of digital epidemiology.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Current guidelines emphasize the importance of regular physical activity as a preventive measure against disease progression and as a valuable strategy for pain and functionality management. Despite this, most patients with osteoarthritis are inactive. Modern technological advances have led to the implementation of digital devices, such as wearables and smartphones, showing new opportunities for healthcare professionals and researchers to monitor physical activity and therefore engage patients in daily exercising. Additionally, digital devices have emerged as a promising tool for improving frequent hea…
Neuroprotective effects of physical activity via the adaptation of astrocytes
The multifold benefits of regular physical exercise have been largely demonstrated in human and animal models. Several studies have reported the beneficial effects of physical activity, both in peripheral tissues and in the central nervous system (CNS). Regular exercise improves cognition, brain plasticity, neurogenesis and reduces the symptoms of neurodegenerative diseases, making timeless the principle of “mens sana in corpore sano” (i.e., a healthy mind in a healthy body). Physical exercise promotes morphological and functional changes in the brain, acting not only in neurons but also in astrocytes, which represent the most numerous glial cells in the brain. The multiple effects of exerc…
The “Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology” Journal Club Series: Highlights on Recent Papers in Overtraining and Exercise Addiction
We are glad to introduce the seventeenth Journal Club. This edition is focused on several relevant studies published in the last years in the field of Overtraining and Exercise Addiction, chosen by our Editorial Board members and their colleagues. We hope to stimulate your curiosity in this field and to share with you the passion for the sport seen also from the scientific point of view. The Editorial Board members wish you an inspiring lecture.
One Year of COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy: Effect of Sedentary Behavior on Physical Activity Levels and Musculoskeletal Pain among University Students
The COVID-19 outbreak forced Italian students to reduce their daily activities, inducing a seden-tary attitude that was worsened by distanced learning. This study aimed to survey the physical activity levels that were maintained before and during the social restrictions following the pan-demic, their correlation to musculoskeletal pain, as well as analyzing the impact of these COVID-19 restrictions on pain and fatigue that affects daily life activities. A total of 2044 students completed the online questionnaire, of which the results of 1654 participants were eligible. Before the pandemic, the levels of physical activity were distributed as: 19.9% no activity, 30.1% light ac-tivity, 21.5% m…
Current knowledge of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) in articular cartilage
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is an evolutionally well conserved neuropeptide, mainly expressed by neuronal and peripheral cells. It proves to be an interesting object of study both for its trophic functions during the development of several tissues and for its protective effects against oxidative stress, hypoxia, inflammation and apoptosis in different degenerative diseases. This brief review summarises the recent findings concerning the role of PACAP in the articular cartilage. PACAP and its receptors are expressed during chondrogenesis and are shown to activate the pathways involved in regulating cartilage development. Moreover, this neuropeptide proves to be…
The impact of physical activity on psychological health during Covid-19 pandemic in Italy
The worldwide spread of COVID-19 has upset the normality of Italian daily life, forcing population to social distancing and self-isolation. Since the containment precautions also concern sport-related activities, home workout remained the only possibility to play sports and stay active during the pandemic. The present study aimed to examine changes in the physical activity levels during self-quarantine in Italy, and the impact of exercise on psychological health. A total of 2974 Italian subjects has completed an online survey, but only 2524 subjects resulted eligible for this study. The questionnaire measured the total weekly physical activity energy expenditure before and during quarantine…