Bone mineral density, adiposity, and cognitive functions.
Cognitive decline and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been associated with genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. A number of potentially modifiable risk factors should be taken into account when preventive or ameliorative interventions targeting dementia and its preclinical stages are investigated. Bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition are two such potentially modifiable risk factors, and their association with cognitive decline was investigated in this study. 164 participants, aged 34-87 years old (62.78 ± 9.27), were recruited for this longitudinal study and underwent cognitive and clinical examinations at baseline and after 3 years. Blood samples were collected for apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was conducted at the same day as cognitive assessment. Using hierarchical regression analysis, we found that BMD and lean body mass, as measured using DXA were significant predictors of episodic memory. Age, gender, APOE status, and premorbid IQ were controlled for. Specifically, the List A learning from California Verbal Learning Test was significantly associated with BMD and lean mass both at baseline and at follow up assessment. Our findings indicate that there is a significant association between BMD and lean body mass and episodic verbal learning. While the involvement of modifiable lifestyle factors in human cognitive function has been examined in different studies, there is a need for further research to understand the potential underlying mechanisms.
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia ; School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia Crawley, Australia.
Hamid R
HR
Sohrabi
The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia ; The School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia Crawley, WA, Australia.
Kristyn A
KA
Bates
The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia ; School of Psychology, University of Western Australia Crawley, WA, Australia.
Michael
M
Weinborn
School of Psychology, University of Western Australia Crawley, WA, Australia.
Romola S
RS
Bucks
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Stephanie R
SR
Rainey-Smith
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Mark A
MA
Rodrigues
The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia ; School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia Crawley, Australia.
Sabine M
SM
Bird
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Belinda M
BM
Brown
School of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Western Australia Nedlands, WA, Australia ; PathWest Laboratory Medicine of WA Nedlands, WA, Australia.
John
J
Beilby
The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Matthew
M
Howard
Western Medicine, Hollywood Specialist Centre Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Arthur
A
Criddle
Western Medicine, Hollywood Specialist Centre Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Megan
M
Wraith
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Kevin
K
Taddei
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Georgia
G
Martins
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Athena
A
Paton
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Tejal
T
Shah
School of Public Health, Curtin University of Technology Perth, WA, Australia.
Satvinder S
SS
Dhaliwal
Division of Immunology, Department of Developmental Neurobiolog,Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities Staten Island, NY, USA.
Pankaj D
PD
Mehta
Neurosciences Unit, Health Department of WA, School of Psychology and Speech Pathology, Curtin University of Technology Perth, WA, Australia.
Jonathan K
JK
Foster
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Ian J
IJ
Martins
School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia Crawley, Australia ; Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, St. Vincent's Health, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne Parkville, VIC, Australia ; The WA Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia Crawley, Australia.
Nicola T
NT
Lautenschlager
Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University WA, Australia.
Francis
F
Mastaglia
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia.
Simon M
SM
Laws
School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University Joondalup, WA, Australia ; The McCusker Alzheimer's Research Foundation Nedlands, WA, Australia ; School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia Crawley, Australia.
Ralph N
RN
Martins
aging; apolipoprotein E; bone mineral density; cognition; dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; episodic verbal memory; executive function