And the good news is that this early indicator becomes apparent nearly five years in advance, allowing you ample time to mitigate the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

As we age, it is widely acknowledged that a decline in muscle strength and physical performance is expected. However, recent research suggests that this common occurrence could also serve as a potential indicator of a more serious age-related health issue.

The natural process of aging often entails a decrease in muscle strength and a slower pace of movement, which can make everyday activities like standing up, walking, and sitting down more challenging. However, a groundbreaking study conducted by researchers at Edith Cowan University (ECU) has shed light on an alarming association between these physical changes and a menacing health concern known as late-life dementia.

In order to explore the correlation between muscle function and dementia, the research teams at ECU’s Nutrition & Health Innovation Research Institute and Centre for Precision Health utilized data from the Perth Longitudinal Study of Ageing in Women, encompassing a sample of over 1000 women with an average age of 75.

In collaboration with the University of Western Australia, the researchers assessed the women’s grip strength and their performance in a timed-up-and-go (TUG) test, which involved rising from a chair, walking three meters, turning around, and sitting back down. These evaluations were conducted again after a period of five years to track any changes in performance.

Over the course of the subsequent 15 years, nearly 17 percent of the women participating in the study experienced a dementia event, which was defined as dementia-related hospitalization or death.

The study’s findings, published in the Journal of Cachexia Sarcopenia and Muscle, revealed that lower grip strength and slower performance in the TUG test were significant risk factors associated with the development of dementia, independent of genetic risk, smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activity levels.

According to the study findings, individuals with the lowest grip strength exhibited more than double the likelihood of experiencing a late-life dementia event compared to those with the strongest grip. Similarly, a similar pattern emerged between the slowest performance in the TUG test and the likelihood of developing dementia, with more than a twofold increased risk.

Analyzing the changes in grip strength and TUG test results after a five-year period, a decline in performance was associated with a higher risk of dementia. Specifically, individuals who experienced the greatest decrease in grip strength were approximately twice as likely to have a dementia event, while those with the largest decline in TUG speed were about 2.5 times more likely.

Notably, women who had the most significant drop in TUG performance faced over four times the likelihood of dementia-related death compared to those who demonstrated the smallest decline in performance.

According to Dr. Marc Sim, a senior researcher, the measurement of grip strength using a portable device called a dynamometer may serve as an indicator of brain health. This is because cognitive decline and motor decline often occur simultaneously, suggesting an interconnected relationship.

“Possibly due to a range of underlying similarities, grip strength may also present as a surrogate measure of cardiovascular disease, inflammation and frailty, which are known risk factors for dementia,” Dr. Sim added.

According to Dr. Sim, the study’s findings have the potential to assist healthcare professionals in detecting dementia risk at an earlier stage.

“Both grip strength and TUG tests aren’t commonly performed in clinical practice, but both are inexpensive and simple screening tools.”

By incorporating muscle function tests into dementia screening protocols, it could be possible to identify individuals at high risk. Subsequently, these individuals could benefit from primary prevention programs that focus on maintaining a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, thus aiming to prevent the onset of the condition, according to the author.

“The exciting findings were that decline in these measures was associated with substantially higher risk, suggesting that if we can halt this decline, we may be able to prevent late-life dementias. However, further research is needed in this area.”

Image Credit: Getty