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Association between structural changes in brain with muscle function in sarcopenic older women : The Women’s Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP)
Hassan, Ebrahim Bani Szoeke, Cassandra Vogrin, Sara Phu, Steven Venkatraman, Vijay Desmond, Patricia Steward, Chris Duque, Gustavo
Hassan, Ebrahim Bani
Szoeke, Cassandra
Vogrin, Sara
Phu, Steven
Venkatraman, Vijay
Desmond, Patricia
Steward, Chris
Duque, Gustavo
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Abstract
Objectives: The involvement of changes in brain structure in the pathophysiology of muscle loss (sarcopenia) with aging remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the associations between brain structure and muscle strength in a group of older women. We hypothesized that structural changes in brain could correlate with functional changes observed in sarcopenic older women.
Methods: In 150 women (median age of 70 years) of the Women’s Healthy Ageing Project (WHAP) Study, brain grey (total and cortex) volumes were calculated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses. Grip strength and timed up and go (TUG) were measured. The brain volumes were compared between sarcopenic vs. non-sarcopenic subjects and women with previous falls vs. those without.
Results: Based on handgrip strength and TUG results respectively, 27% and 15% of women were classified as sarcopenic; and only 5% were sarcopenic based on both criteria. At least one fall was experienced by 15% of participants. There was no difference in brain volumetric data between those with vs. without sarcopenia (p>0.24) or between women with falls (as a symptom of weakness or imbalance) vs. those without history of falls (p>0.25).
Conclusions: Brain structure was not associated with functional changes or falls in this population of older women.
Keywords
brain, sarcopenia, aging, falls, MRI
Date
2019
Type
Journal article
Journal
The Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions
Book
Volume
19
Issue
2
Page Range
136-141
Article Number
ACU Department
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Relation URI
DOI
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
File Access
Open