Muscle Weakness Linked to Alzheimer’s Risk in Seniors
According to a new study, elderly people with weak muscles may be at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
NorthShore University HealthSystem covered a recent study conducted by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago:
Researchers followed 970 older adults (average age 80) who didn’t have dementia at the start of the study. The participants underwent a number of evaluations, including tests of cognitive function and muscle strength.
During an average 3.6 years of follow-up, 138 (14.2 percent) of the participants developed Alzheimer’s disease. Those with the highest levels of muscle strength at the start of the study were 61 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than those with the weakest muscles, the researchers found.
The link between muscle strength and Alzheimer’s remained even after the researchers accounted for other factors, such as body mass index and physical activity levels.
The researchers also found that weak muscles were associated with increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, the earliest sign of cognitive decline.
For the full study visit the news section of NorthShore University HealthSystem
