Processes of muscle-aging and physical weakness in females and males

Summary

This thesis explores muscle-aging and physical weakness in males and females. Skeletal muscle is essential for movement, energy metabolism, and overall health, but aging leads to muscle loss and frailty, particularly in females. The study first mapped aging-related muscle processes in humans, finding similarities between sexes in muscle-aging but differences in physical weakness. It then identified blood-based biomarkers linked to early frailty, using machine learning to improve early detection. Next, mouse models were evaluated for their relevance to human muscle-aging. Unlike humans, mice showed sex-specific aging patterns, with females experiencing gradual decline and males showing abrupt changes. Alternative atrophy models revealed similarities between immobilization- and food restriction-induced muscle-atrophy in mice and human aging. Ultimately, these findings enhance our understanding of muscle-aging and frailty, providing insights that could help extend health span, improve quality of life, and reduce aging-related healthcare costs.