An Unobvious Sign of Increased Dementia Risk Identified 0 12

Researchers have found that a decrease in muscle strength among middle-aged and older adults is closely associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. This conclusion was reached by the authors of a large long-term study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research (JPR), who analyzed data from nearly six thousand residents of the United Kingdom aged over 50.

The researchers assessed muscle strength using several indicators: grip strength, adjusted for body mass and body mass index, as well as the time taken to rise from a chair, reflecting leg muscle strength. During the observation period, which averaged over nine years, dementia developed in 197 participants. Individuals with the lowest grip strength had nearly three times the risk of the disease compared to those with the strongest muscles.

A similar relationship was found for lower limb muscles: participants who took longer to stand up from a chair were more likely to encounter dementia in the future. These patterns persisted regardless of gender and age and remained robust even after excluding cases of early dementia diagnosis.

The authors emphasize that muscle strength could serve as a simple and accessible marker for the risk of cognitive impairments. The results highlight the importance of maintaining hand and leg strength in middle and older age as a potential factor for preventing and slowing the development of dementia.