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Gurholt TP, Borda MG, Parker N, Fominykh V, Kjelkenes R, Linge J, van der Meer D, Sønderby IE, Duque G, Westlye LT, Aarsland D, Andreassen OA. Linking sarcopenia, brain structure and cognitive performance: a large-scale UK Biobank study. Brain Commun 2024; 6:fcae083. [PMID: 38510210 PMCID: PMC10953622 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia refers to age-related loss of muscle mass and function and is related to impaired somatic and brain health, including cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. However, the relationships between sarcopenia, brain structure and cognition are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the associations between sarcopenic traits, brain structure and cognitive performance. We included 33 709 UK Biobank participants (54.2% female; age range 44-82 years) with structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, thigh muscle fat infiltration (n = 30 561) from whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (muscle quality indicator) and general cognitive performance as indicated by the first principal component of a principal component analysis across multiple cognitive tests (n = 22 530). Of these, 1703 participants qualified for probable sarcopenia based on low handgrip strength, and we assigned the remaining 32 006 participants to the non-sarcopenia group. We used multiple linear regression to test how sarcopenic traits (probable sarcopenia versus non-sarcopenia and percentage of thigh muscle fat infiltration) relate to cognitive performance and brain structure (cortical thickness and area, white matter fractional anisotropy and deep and lower brain volumes). Next, we used structural equation modelling to test whether brain structure mediated the association between sarcopenic and cognitive traits. We adjusted all statistical analyses for confounders. We show that sarcopenic traits (probable sarcopenia versus non-sarcopenia and muscle fat infiltration) are significantly associated with lower cognitive performance and various brain magnetic resonance imaging measures. In probable sarcopenia, for the included brain regions, we observed widespread significant lower white matter fractional anisotropy (77.1% of tracts), predominantly lower regional brain volumes (61.3% of volumes) and thinner cortical thickness (37.9% of parcellations), with |r| effect sizes in (0.02, 0.06) and P-values in (0.0002, 4.2e-29). In contrast, we observed significant associations between higher muscle fat infiltration and widespread thinner cortical thickness (76.5% of parcellations), lower white matter fractional anisotropy (62.5% of tracts) and predominantly lower brain volumes (35.5% of volumes), with |r| effect sizes in (0.02, 0.07) and P-values in (0.0002, 1.9e-31). The regions showing the most significant effect sizes across the cortex, white matter and volumes were of the sensorimotor system. Structural equation modelling analysis revealed that sensorimotor brain regions mediate the link between sarcopenic and cognitive traits [probable sarcopenia: P-values in (0.0001, 1.0e-11); muscle fat infiltration: P-values in (7.7e-05, 1.7e-12)]. Our findings show significant associations between sarcopenic traits, brain structure and cognitive performance in a middle-aged and older adult population. Mediation analyses suggest that regional brain structure mediates the association between sarcopenic and cognitive traits, with potential implications for dementia development and prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiril P Gurholt
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - Miguel Germán Borda
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine (SESAM), Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger 4068, Norway
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger 4036, Norway
- Semillero de Neurociencias y Envejecimiento, Ageing Institute, Medical School, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota 111611, Colombia
| | - Nadine Parker
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - Vera Fominykh
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - Rikka Kjelkenes
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo 0373, Norway
| | - Jennifer Linge
- AMRA Medical AB, Linköping 58222, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping 58183, Sweden
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht 6200MD, The Netherlands
| | - Ida E Sønderby
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - Gustavo Duque
- Dr. Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine and Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo 0373, Norway
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Centre for Age-Related Medicine (SESAM), Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger 4068, Norway
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London WC2R 2LS, UK
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital and University of Oslo, Oslo 0424, Norway
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Brisendine MH, Nichenko AS, Bandara AB, Willoughby OS, Amiri N, Weingrad Z, Specht KS, Bond JM, Addington A, Jones RG, Murach KA, Poelzing S, Craige SM, Grange RW, Drake JC. Neuromuscular Dysfunction Precedes Cognitive Impairment in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease. FUNCTION 2023; 5:zqad066. [PMID: 38111538 PMCID: PMC10727840 DOI: 10.1093/function/zqad066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) develops along a continuum that spans years prior to diagnosis. Decreased muscle function and mitochondrial respiration occur years earlier in those that develop AD; however, it is unknown what causes these peripheral phenotypes in a disease of the brain. Exercise promotes muscle, mitochondria, and cognitive health and is proposed to be a potential therapeutic for AD, but no study has investigated how skeletal muscle adapts to exercise training in an AD-like context. Utilizing 5xFAD mice, an AD model that develops ad-like pathology and cognitive impairments around 6 mo of age, we examined in vivo neuromuscular function and exercise adapations (mitochondrial respiration and RNA sequencing) before the manifestation of overt cognitive impairment. We found 5xFAD mice develop neuromuscular dysfunction beginning as early as 4 mo of age, characterized by impaired nerve-stimulated muscle torque production and compound nerve action potential of the sciatic nerve. Furthermore, skeletal muscle in 5xFAD mice had altered, sex-dependent, adaptive responses (mitochondrial respiration and gene expression) to exercise training in the absence of overt cognitive impairment. Changes in peripheral systems, specifically neural communication to skeletal muscle, may be harbingers for AD and have implications for lifestyle interventions, like exercise, in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew H Brisendine
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Anna S Nichenko
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Aloka B Bandara
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Orion S Willoughby
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Niloufar Amiri
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Zach Weingrad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Kalyn S Specht
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Jacob M Bond
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Adele Addington
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Ronald G Jones
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Kevin A Murach
- Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Steven Poelzing
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Siobhan M Craige
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
| | - Robert W Grange
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Joshua C Drake
- Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health Program, Virginia Tech, Roanoke, VA 24016, USA
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Li J, Chongpison Y, Amornvit J, Chaikittisilpa S, Santibenchakul S, Jaisamrarn U. Association of reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use with distal sensory polyneuropathy among postmenopausal women in the United States: results from 1999 to 2004 NHANES. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9274. [PMID: 37286578 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35934-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Postmenopausal status is a risk factor for distal sensory polyneuropathy-the most common type of peripheral neuropathy. We aimed to investigate associations between reproductive factors and history of exogenous hormone use with distal sensory polyneuropathy among postmenopausal women in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2004, and to explore the modifying effects of ethnicity on these associations. We conducted a cross-sectional study among postmenopausal women aged ≥ 40 years. Women with a history of diabetes, stroke, cancer, cardiovascular disease, thyroid disease, liver disease, weak or failing kidneys, or amputation were excluded. Distal sensory polyneuropathy was measured using a 10-g monofilament test, and a questionnaire was used to collect data on reproductive history. Multivariable survey logistic regression was used to test the association between reproductive history variables and distal sensory polyneuropathy. In total, 1144 postmenopausal women aged ≥ 40 years were included. The adjusted odds ratios were 8.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-53.28] and 3.18 (95% CI 1.32-7.68) for age at menarche < 11 years and time since menopause > 20 years, respectively, which were positively associated with distal sensory polyneuropathy; adjusted odds ratios were 0.45 for the history of breastfeeding (95% CI 0.21-0.99) and 0.41 for exogenous hormone use (95% CI 0.19-0.87) were negatively associated. Subgroup analysis revealed ethnicity-based heterogeneity in these associations. Age at menarche, time since menopause, breastfeeding, and exogenous hormone use were associated with distal sensory polyneuropathy. Ethnicity significantly modified these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yuda Chongpison
- Center of Excellence in Biostatistics, Research Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- The Skin and Allergy Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Jakkrit Amornvit
- Division of Neurology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thai Red Cross Society, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sukanya Chaikittisilpa
- Menopause Research Group, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Somsook Santibenchakul
- Family Planning and Reproductive Health Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Rama 4 Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
| | - Unnop Jaisamrarn
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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