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Prevalence and distribution of fasciculations in healthy adults: Effect of age, caffeine consumption and exercise 

Authors: Jiske Fermonta; Ilse M. P. Artsa; Sebastiaan Overeemb; Bert U. Kleineb; H. Jurgen Schelhaasac; Machiel J. Zwartsbc
Affiliations:   a Department of Neurology, Neuromuscular Centre Nijmegen,
b Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
c National ALS Centre, The Netherlands
DOI: 10.1080/17482960903062137
Publication Frequency: 6 issues per year
First Published on: 15 June 2009
Subject: Neurology;
Formats available: HTML (English) : PDF (English)
Previously published as: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and other Neuron Disorders (1466-0822, 1471-180X) until 2006
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Abstract

Our objective was to determine the prevalence and distribution of fasciculations in healthy adults and to assess the effect of age, caffeine and exercise. Fasciculations were studied with ultrasonography in 58 healthy adults in various age categories. Questionnaires were used to determine effect of caffeine and regular exercise on the presence of fasciculations. Finally, we tested the effect of strenuous exercise on fasciculations in 10 healthy adults. Twenty-five subjects (43%) showed fasciculations on ultrasonography, mostly in the abductor hallucis longus muscle. Fasciculations were only sporadically encountered in muscle groups above the knee. Subjects with fasciculations were significantly older than those without. Caffeine and regular physical exercise did not influence the prevalence of fasciculations. However, strenuous physical exercise caused a temporary increase in fasciculations, but only in lower leg muscles. Fasciculations above the knee should raise suspicion and may warrant further investigation.
Keywords: Fasciculations; healthy adults; caffeine; exercise; ultrasonography
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