Inverse association between sympathetic nervous system activity and bone mass in middle aged overweight individuals

Elisabeth Lambert; Sarah Phillips; Ainura Tursunalieva; Nina Eikelis; Carolina Sari; John Dixon; Nora Straznicky; Mariee Grima; Markus Schlaich; Gavin Lambert

doi:10.1016/j.bone.2018.03.025

Inverse association between sympathetic nervous system activity and bone mass in middle aged overweight individuals

Bone. 2018 Jun:111:123-128. doi: 10.1016/j.bone.2018.03.025. Epub 2018 Mar 29.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia; Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Electronic address: elisabethlambert@swin.edu.au.
² Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia; Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
³ School of Health Science, Department of Statistics Data Science and Epidemiology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia; Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Clinical Obesity Research Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia; Department of General Practice, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
⁶ Human Neurotransmitters Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Dobney Hypertension Centre, School of Medicine - Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

PMID: 29605303
DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2018.03.025

Abstract

Background/purpose: Sympathetic nervous system activation in obesity is associated with impaired cardiovascular and metabolic function. Animal studies have shown a direct link between sympathetic nervous activation and bone health but little is known about this link in humans. This study examined whether sympathetic activation may impact bone health in overweight adults.

Methods: This cross sectional study included 96 overweight or obese middle-aged adults (51 males, mean body mass index: 32.8 kg/m², mean age: 55.3 years). Multivariate linear regression models evaluated associations between whole body and leg bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) derived from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and muscle sympathetic nervous system activity (MSNA) measured by microneurography.

Results: Older age, male sex and higher weight were associated with higher leg and body BMC and BMD. After adjustment for age, sex and weight, MSNA was significantly inversely associated with total BMC (p = 0.012) and with leg BMC (p < 0.01) but was not associated with either total or leg BMD (p = 0.159 and p = 0.063 respectively). When the analysis was sex specific, the relationships between MSNA and total and leg BMC were only significant in males.

Conclusions: Our study indicates that in middle aged overweight or obese males, sympathetic activation may have a deleterious effect on bone mineral content.

Keywords: Bone density; Obesity; Sympathetic nervous system.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Animals
Body Mass Index
Bone Density*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Overweight / physiopathology*
Sympathetic Nervous System / physiopathology*