This is surprising news.
Obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking are among the known risk factors for dementia, a loss of cognitive function that affects nearly 7 million Americans.
New research from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine provides more evidence that loss of muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia, can significantly increase the risk of dementia. The new discovery is based on the belief that a particular jaw muscle can indicate skeletal muscle mass throughout the body.
“We found that older adults with smaller skeletal muscles are about 60% more likely to develop dementia when adjusting for other known risk factors,” said neurology professor Marilyn Albert, co-author of the study.
Skeletal muscle makes up about a third of our body weight, and loss of muscle mass is a natural part of aging. After 30, people typically begin to lose up to 3% to 5% of their muscle mass per decade.
Sarcopenia, which is a significant loss of muscle mass and strength, is estimated to affect 10% to 16% of the world’s elderly population.
Sarcopenia’s link to cognitive decline is not exactly clear, but researchers speculate that it may be due to myokines.
Skeletal muscles produce and release small proteins and peptides called myokines that directly affect the brain. Less muscle mass means less myokines are released. Also, people with sarcopenia may exercise less and participate in fewer social activities, two major risk factors for dementia.
The Johns Hopkins team focused on the temporalis muscle on the side of the head for its study. The large fan-shaped muscle is used to close the mouth when chewing.
Researchers say that features of this jaw muscle, such as its thickness and size, can paint a picture of muscle mass within the body.
They examined brain images of 621 older adults without dementia to determine how much muscle loss they had suffered.
Participants were tracked for about six years to see if they were diagnosed with dementia or experienced changes in their brain or cognition.
Most of the participants had smaller temporalis muscles, which the researchers linked to a higher risk of dementia, as well as greater declines in cognitive test scores and brain size compared to those with larger temporalis muscles.
Dementia is characterized by memory loss and a decline in language, problem-solving and thinking skills.
Johns Hopkins researchers presented their study this month at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. They suggested that when an older adult gets a brain scan for any reason, that image should be evaluated for muscle changes.
Early detection helps with treatment options, which include physical activity such as chair exercises, resistance training, and nutritional guidance. It can be helpful to eat more protein, which is essential for building muscle.
“These interventions may help prevent or slow muscle wasting and subsequently reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia,” said Dr. Shadpour Demehri. co-author of the study and professor of radiology.
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