According to a new study, this could represent a potential new screening measure for dementia that could be utilized years before the onset of visible symptoms.

According to current estimates, Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent form of dementia in the United States, with about 5.8 million people affected, including 5.6 million who are 65 or older and 200,000 who are younger than 65 and have early-onset Alzheimer’s. By 2060, it’s projected that the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease will increase to an estimated 14 million, with minority populations being disproportionately affected.

A study published in today’s online issue of Neurology® suggests a possible link between bone health and brain health. The study found that individuals with low bone density may have a higher risk of developing dementia compared to those with higher bone density.

However, it’s important to note that the study only shows an association between low bone density and dementia and does not prove that low bone density causes dementia.

Oftentimes, older individuals experience both low bone density and dementia concurrently, as bone loss can be exacerbated by physical inactivity and poor nutrition commonly associated with dementia.

But “little is known about bone loss that occurs in the period leading up to dementia,” says study author Mohammad Arfan Ikram.

This new “study found that bone loss indeed already occurs before dementia and thus is linked to a higher risk of dementia.”

In the Netherlands, a study was conducted on 3,651 individuals with an average age of 72 who were initially dementia-free. During an average follow-up period of 11 years, 688 participants, or 19% of the sample, developed dementia.

The researchers utilized X-rays to assess bone density, and participants underwent interviews and physical tests, including bone scans and dementia evaluations every four to five years.

Among the 1,211 individuals with the lowest total body bone density, 90 developed dementia within 10 years, while 57 of the 1,211 individuals with the highest bone density developed dementia.

Upon adjusting for variables such as age, sex, education, comorbidities, medication usage, and family history of dementia, the researchers discovered that individuals with the lowest total body bone density were 42% more likely to develop dementia within 10 years than those in the highest group.

Past studies have indicated that lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise may affect bone health and dementia risk differently.

This research shows “a link between bone loss and dementia, but further studies are needed to better understand this connection between bone density and memory loss,” according to the author.

It is conceivable that bone loss could transpire during the initial phases of dementia, long before any clinical symptoms become apparent.

“If that were the case, bone loss could be an indicator of risk for dementia and people with bone loss could be targeted for screening and improved care.”

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