Neural contributions to age-related handgrip weakness revealed by multi-finger force deficit and dual-task testing.

Authors

Gregory M Shaw, Leatha A Clark, Dustin R Grooms, Richard G Carson, Brian C Clark

Published in

GeroScience. Sep 08, 2026. Epub Sep 08, 2026.

Abstract

Handgrip strength (HGS) is recognized as the primary characteristic of sarcopenia. Low HGS is strongly associated with morbidity, disability, and mortality. However, the neural mechanisms underlying age-related declines in HGS have not been fully elucidated. The multi-finger force deficit (MFFD), which reflects the central nervous system's capacity to coordinate finger activation during a power grip, provides an innovative approach to assess these neural contributions. Prior MFFD studies have inferred neural contributions to grip force, but this assumes that multi-finger dynamometry captures coordination processes relevant to conventional HGS. Because prior paradigms used non-standard hand/forearm postures and generally studied younger-old, high-functioning adults, the clinical relevance of MFFD to age-related weakness remains uncertain. Therefore, we tested younger (n = 12; 23.7 ± 1.7 years) and markedly older (n = 10; 80.3 ± 8.8 years) adults using a biomimetic setup that replicated traditional HGS assessment and examined whether HGS is altered under cognitively demanding dual-task conditions. Older adults exhibited 48.8% lower HGS, greater MFFD (25.8 ± 11.4% vs. 16.5 ± 7.1%; p < 0.05), and lower performance on HGS during continuous reading aloud than younger adults (17.7 ± 6.7 kg vs. 29.8 ± 9.2 kg; p < 0.001). Further, sarcopenic older adults exhibited a higher MFFD compared to their non-sarcopenic counterparts (33.4 ± 8.6% vs. 18.0 ± 8.3%; p = 0.021), when data are pooled across hands. These findings suggest that age-related reductions in HGS are partly attributable to neural mechanisms. The MFFD may represent a candidate behavioral marker of multi-digit reserve, but its predictive and clinical utility require validation.

PMID:
42711555
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 09 Sep 2026.

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