Question

what are two reasons why atrophy may occur to animals muscle tissue?

Answer 1

Atrophy is defined as the shrinking of the muscle tissue due to the decrease in muscle size and strength. Atrophy resulting in muscle wasting which means the person cannot be able to move that body part.

There are many reasons that atrophy may occur to animal muscle tissue.

1. INJURY

An injury can cause muscle atrophy by blocking or damaging the nerve fibers to reach that particular area in the body.

Nerves are responsible for carrying impulses from the brain to several body parts, as a result of injury in some areas the nerve cannot be able to reach that particular body parts for which contraction and relaxation of the muscle are not possible, that resulting in muscle atrophy.

2. AGING

According to the increasing age, the muscle size and number of muscle fibers decreases resulting in muscle loss.

Normally the muscle wasting progress at the age of 50s due to less water content of tendon, and muscles that attached to the bone decrease. Due to the lack of physical activity, a person loses 3- 5 %of muscle mass every decade after the age of 30s.

Some other reasons that cause muscle atrophy are

- Lack of physical activity

- Excessive use of alcohol

- Stroke