Fat content within muscle predicts risk of cognitive decline

Investigators assessed muscle fat in 1,634 adults 69-79 years of age at years 1 and 6 and evaluated their cognitive function at years 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10. Increases in muscle adiposity from year 1 to year 6 were associated with faster and more cognitive decline over time. The findings were similar for Black and white men and women.

“Our data suggest that muscle adiposity plays a unique role in cognitive decline, distinct from that of other types of fat or other muscle characteristics,” said corresponding author Caterina Rosano.“If that is the case, then the next step is to understand how muscle fat and the brain ‘talk’ to each other, and whether reducing muscle adiposity can also reduce dementia risk.”she added.

Reference:

Increase in skeletal muscular adiposity and cognitive decline in a biracial cohort of older men and women,Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,DOI 10.1111/jgs.18419