Sex differences in laterality of motor unit firing behavior of the first dorsal interosseous muscle in strength-matched healthy young males and females

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare laterality in motor unit firing behavior between females and males. Methods Twenty-seven subjects (14 females) were recruited for this study. The participants performed ramp up and hold isometric index finger abduction at 10, 30, and 60% of their maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). High-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) signals were recorded in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle and decomposed into individual motor unit (MU) firing behavior using a convolution blind source separation method. Results In total, 769 MUs were detected (females, n = 318 and males, n = 451). Females had a significantly higher discharge rate than males at each relative torque level (10%: male dominant hand, 13.4 ± 2.7 pps vs. female dominant hand, 16.3 ± 3.4 pps; 30%: male dominant hand, 16.1 ± 3.9 pps vs. female dominant hand, 20.0 ± 5.0 pps; and 60%: male dominant hand, 19.3 ± 3.8 vs. female dominant hand, 25.3 ± 4.8 pps; p < 0.0001). The recruitment threshold was also significantly higher in females than in males at 30 and 60% MVC. Furthermore, males exhibited asymmetrical discharge rates at 30 and 60% MVC and recruitment thresholds at 30 and 60% MVC, whereas no asymmetry was observed in females. Conclusion In the FDI muscle, compared to males, females exhibited different neuromuscular strategies with higher discharge rates and recruitment thresholds and no asymmetrical MU firing behavior. Notably, the findings that sex differences in neuromuscular activity also occur in healthy individuals provide important information for understanding the pathogenesis of various diseases.