It is natural for seniors to become slower over the years. However, a new study indicates that, in some cases, the loss of muscle power is not a natural process of aging, but a silent symptom of dementia.
Research led by Australian doctors that pinpointed this unusual symptom of dementia was published in April in Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle. According to the work, the loss of potency appears mainly after the age of 80.
“Incorporating muscle function tests as part of dementia screening can be useful to identify high-risk individuals, who can be advised to prevent the onset of the disease with a healthy diet and physically active lifestyle,” says researcher Marc Sim. , one of the study coordinators, Edith Cowan University website.
test circuit
The investigation followed 1,225 women over 70 years of age over five years. Muscular capacity was measured by the slowness in performing a circuit of physical exertion. Participants had to get up from a chair, walk three meters, turn around and sit down again. The time to perform the activity was measured over the years.
At the end of the period, the study observed signs of dementia in 207 of the women, equivalent to 16.9% of the participants. An up to 2.5-fold increased risk of a late-onset dementia event, hospitalization or death from dementia was determined in women with greater loss of physical potency.
In many of the participants with dementia, an accelerated loss of muscle power was observed. Those with the greatest amount of lost muscle mass, up to 3.5 kg, were also those with more severe cases of dementia.
“Our findings suggest that if we can stop this decline in muscle mass, we might be able to prevent later dementia. However, more research is needed in this area,” concludes Sim.
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