I was not that long ago that people thought, having strong muscles, would mean a decline in cognitive function!
I was not that long ago that people thought, having strong muscles, would mean a decline in cognitive function!
A recent study has identified the exact opposite!
The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 77, Issue 10, October 2022, Pages 1959–1968, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glac121, Published: 06 June 2022 identified that Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults.
The study identified that having a Low Skeletal Muscle Mass impacts on our Cognitive Function as we age. The article describes the possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms: systemic inflammation, insulin metabolism, protein metabolism, and mitochondrial function.
Altered myokine secretion due to physical inactivity exacerbates inflammation and impairs muscle glucose metabolism, potentially affecting the transport of insulin across the blood–brain barrier. A negative systemic protein balance, commonly observed in older adults, contributes to low skeletal muscle mass and may also reflect deficient protein metabolism in brain tissues.
There was a link between sarcopenia in older adults, that is, low skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance and detrimental health outcomes and morbidity, including falls and fractures, caregiver dependence in activities of daily living, diabetes, and cognitive decline/impairment. A direct link between the skeletal muscle and brain axis has been demonstrated to the development of cognitive impairment.
Whether these mechanisms drive the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment and therewith explain the association of sarcopenia and cognitive impairment, or whether these mechanisms are indirect links between sarcopenia and cognitive impairment, is debatable.
Sarcopenia may be a neurogenic syndrome, as there is a strong link between the central nervous system and muscle via motor neuron connectivity.
The research article referenced other research that demonstrated the importance of maintaining strength and reversing the effects of Sarcopenia. If you’re not lifting weights and becoming stronger, you should be, if not for being able to maintain independence and being able to do everyday tasks without struggling, then you should lift weights to maintain and or improve your brain function.
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