Influence of age and gender in the sensory nerve fibers excitability

Objectives: To assess the influence of age and gender on sensory nerve axonal excitability parameters.

Methods: Thirty-three healthy subjects (21 women) were included, with a mean age of 34.6 (range 21-76). Median sensory nerve excitability measurements (index finger) were performed using the TRONDNF nerve excitability protocol of the QTRAC program.

Results: Peak sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude was significantly higher among women (27.1 vs. 9.2 μV; p = .022), and strength-duration time constant (SDTC) was significantly higher in men (0.7 vs. 0.5; p = .011), not dependent on age. Greater age was negatively correlated with resting I/V slope, not dependent on gender (r = -0.4; p = .024). No other changes in excitability properties with increasing age were found.

Conclusions: Physiological features like as age and gender do not have a relevant impact on sensory nerve excitability measurements, which can have implications regarding pharmacological treatments.