Why Does the Connection Between Your Brain and Muscles Matter?
Did you know that every movement you make, from walking to lifting weights, depends on the communication between your brain and muscles? This is known as neuromuscular signaling, and it’s essential for maintaining your strength, coordination, and physical performance.
As we age, this connection can weaken, making some activities feel more challenging. But don’t worry, understanding how this process works and how to care for it can help you stay strong and active at any age.
At CLIENTEL3, we’re here to help you understand and strengthen this connection so you can continue enjoying exercise and movement safely.
Why Is This Connection Important for Your Health and Performance?
Neuromuscular signaling is what allows your body to move. Every time you decide to walk, run, or pick something up, your brain sends a signal via your nerves telling your muscles what to do.
Over time, this communication can become less efficient. That means your muscles might react more slowly, you may lose strength, and your risk of accidents or injuries can increase.
Aerobic and resistance training have been shown to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive function. Regular physical activity is linked to improved executive function, working memory, and attention, particularly in the prefrontal cortex, which is still maturing for people entering their mid-20s [1].
This is why it’s important to understand how this connection works and how to keep it sharp and reactive. By doing so, you’ll be able to train effectively, move with confidence, and enjoy an active life.
Common Changes in the Brain-Muscle Connection with Age
As we approach our 30s and 40s you can start noticing subtle differences in the connection between the brain and muscle in several different ways, Without getting too deep into the science, here are some of the most common:
- Loss of motor units: These are groups of nerve cells that connect to muscle fibers that work together to produce the desired movement. The number of motor units begins to decline noticeably by age 50, and after age 60, motor unit loss becomes accelerated, especially in fast-twitch (type II) fibers [2].
- Bone Mineral Density: Resistance and impact training during adolescence significantly increases bone mineral density (BMD), particularly at the lumbar spine and femoral neck — critical sites for long-term bone health [3].
- Slower signal transmission through thinning Myelin sheaths: Myelin Sheaths act as a coating wrapped around an electrical wire—that’s how myelin works on nerve fibers. By middle age and beyond, nerve speed drops—slowing by ~1 m/s every decade, especially after 60. Less insulation means a decreased conduction speed to the muscle, increased latency [4].
- Hormonal changes: Specific hormones (Testosterone, Estrogen & Growth Hormone) that support muscle mass and nerve function decrease with age, affecting physical performance. Leading to rapid decreases in strength, recovery, muscle and bone density if not boosted by resistance training, sleep, and other preventive measures [5], [6].
- Faster muscle fatigue: Muscles may tire more quickly and take longer to recover, making workouts feel harder.
- Lower adaptability: The nervous system and muscles can take longer to adjust to new exercises or training or relearn old movement patterns, affecting progress.
Something to be mindful of is that most present day research is biased to men, and needs specific female data. This is a major limitation that researchers and clinicians are increasingly addressing. Men have a more linear and predictable hormonal decline, making them easier to study.
Researchers often excluded women due to the complexity of menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and the abrupt hormonal shifts of menopause, which were considered “confounding variables.” As a result, much of what we know about muscle loss, hormonal treatment, and neuromuscular aging is based on male physiology—a problem for accurately applying findings to women.
Knowing about these changes can help you understand your body better and adapt your training safely and effectively. Please consult with your doctor if you feel that your ability to move independently is decreasing.
How to Keep the Brain-Muscle Connection Strong and Healthy
The good news is that there are ways to care for and improve the communication between the brain and muscles, even as we age. Here are some recommendations:
- Incorporate strength training and functional movements: These help keep nerves and muscle fibers active, strengthening the connection and coordination.
- Include balance and coordination exercises: Activities like walking a straight line, single-leg exercises, or using unstable surfaces improve the brain-muscle connection.
- Eat well and rest enough: A balanced diet and quality sleep are essential for keeping your muscles and nervous system in good shape.
- Add Variety in exercise programs: Especially adding in dual-tasking movements to challenge the brain and receptors.
- Consult a professional: A trainer or physical therapist can help you adapt your workouts and prevent injuries.
By following these tips, you can stay active and energized, taking care of your body safely and healthily.
Don’t Let Age Hold You Back
Remember: although the connection between your brain and muscles changes over time, that doesn’t mean you have to lose strength or mobility. With the right plan and by taking care of your nutrition and rest, you can stay strong and active at every stage of life. If you still don’t feel confident to do this alone, reach out to us and our CLIENTEL3 team will be happy to assist you and provide you with the guidance you need to reclaim neuromuscular acuity. Keep moving, keep moving, and stay strong!
Citations
[1] De Azevedo, Kesley Pablo Morais MSa,∗; de Oliveira Segundo, Victor Hugo MSa; de Medeiros, Gidyenne Christine Bandeira Silva MSa; de Sousa Mata, Ádala Nayana MSa; García, Daniel Ángel PhDb; de Carvalho Leitão, José Carlos Gomes PhDc; Knackfuss, Maria Irany PhDd; Piuvezam, Grasiela PhDa. Effects of exercise on the levels of BDNF and executive function in adolescents: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine 98(28):p e16445, July 2019. | DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016445
[2] Power, G. A., Dalton, B. H., Behm, D. G., Vandervoort, A. A., Doherty, T. J., & Rice, C. L. (2010). Motor unit number estimates in the tibialis anterior muscle of young, old, and very old men. Muscle & Nerve, 41(6), 751–758.
[3] Berro A. J., El Hawly W., El Khoury G., El Hage Z., Jayavel A., Saeidi A., et al. (2024). Effects of the type of exercise training on bone health parameters in adolescent girls: a systematic review. J. Clin. Densitom. 27 (1), 101454. doi:10.1016/j.jocd.2023.101454
[4] Wang FC, de Pasqua V, Delwaide PJ. Age-related changes in fastest and slowest conducting axons of thenar motor units. Muscle Nerve. 1999 Aug;22(8):1022-9. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(199908)22:8<1022::aid-mus3>3.0.co;2-f. PMID: 10417782.
[5] Ferrando, A. A., Sheffield‑Moore, M., Yeckel, C. W., Gilkison, C., Jiang, J., & Wolfe, R. R. (2002). Testosterone administration to older men improves muscle function: molecular and physiological mechanisms. American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism, 282(3), E601–E607.
[6] Rudman, D., Feller, A. G., Nagraj, H. S., Gergans, G. A., Lalitha, P. Y., Goldberg, A. F., Schlenker, R. A., Cohn, L., Rudman, I. W., & Mattson, D. E. (1990). Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old. New England Journal of Medicine, 323(1), 1–6.