Muscle Hypertrophy

Muscle Hypertrophy

Muscle hypertrophy is muscle enlargement due to an increase in the size of its myofibrils. Muscle hypertrophy may be generalized or focal; and occur in response to repetitive voluntary contraction (physiological) or repetitive abnormal electrical activity (pathological, e.g., myotonia in Thomsen’s disease; primary orthostatic tremor).
Muscle enlargement may also result from replacement of myofibrils by other tissues, such as fat or amyloid, a situation better described as pseudohypertrophy.

 

Cross References

Calf hypertrophy; Masseter hypertrophy; Myotonia