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For Immediate Release
May 4, 2006
For more information:
Erin Weller
(212) 308-1414 x 329
Chicago, IL May 4, 2006 - Low bone mineral density may warn of future cognitive decline; vitamin D appears to strengthen both bone and muscle; and chronic pain seems to increase risks of suicidal thinking in frail older adults, according to three studies released here today at the American Geriatrics Society's 2006 annual scientific meeting.
Among postmenopausal women, low bone mineral density may be a warning sign of possible cognitive decline, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report.
Previous research has found evidence of a potential link between osteoporosis and Alzheimer 's disease. Both conditions are increasingly common after menopause, suggesting that the drop in estrogen levels that accompanies menopause could contribute to both. Investigating further, the researchers studied 56 healthy post menopausal women and 26 men, ages 63 to 72, measuring each adult's bone mineral density (BMD), giving each tests to evaluate their cognitive abilities, and checking their blood estrogen levels. (Men, like women, produce estrogen, but in significantly smaller quantities.)
Among the postmenopausal women in the study, lower BMD and lower estrogen production were both associated with lower scores on cognitive tests, the researchers found. They found no such link among the men, but that may have been because there were far fewer men in the study, they speculate.
"In postmenopausal women, BMD may represent an important predictor of cognitive performance, i.e., lower BMD would suggest cognitive impairment," report lead researcher Nicola Napoli, MD, and colleagues. "Our data also supports the notion that, similar to BMD, cognitive function is a hormone-dependent condition and endogenous estrogens may play an important role."
A second study reported today at the AGS annual meeting, suggests that vitamin D may help lower risks of falls and fractures among older adults not only because it builds bone, but also because it strengthens muscle.
Researchers at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine studied more than 1,000 healthy older men and women who had their blood vitamin D levels and muscle function measured in the late 1990s and then underwent tests to check their physical performance about two-and-half years later. Among other things, these tests measured grip strength and how long it took to stand from a seated position. Older adults with lower blood vitamin D levels showed poorer physical performance than those with higher levels, the researchers found.
This suggests that "vitamin D supplementation may have an additional benefit beyond falls and fracture reduction by its direct effect on muscle functions," conclude the researchers, Thuy-Tien L. Dam, MD, and Elizabeth L. Barrett-Connor, MD.
Frail older adults who are in intense chronic pain at incresed risk of suicidal thinking, finds a third study presented today at the meeting.
Prior studies have found a link between depression and chronic pain, but few have examined this link among frail older adults. Doing just that, researchers at the University of Chicago and Weill-Cornell Medical College in New York City studied 171 frail adults who were 60 and older, interviewing them about their health and giving them a standard test to diagnose depression.
Nearly 10% of the group suffered from depression. Those in chronic pain were no more likely to be depressed than those who were not in chronic pain, but were more likely to have sleep problems report low energy. In addition, older adults in intense pain were more likely to report suicidal fantasies, the researchers found.
"Routine assessment (and treatment when indicated) for depression is warranted in this vulnerable population," conclude lead researcher Anjali A. Nigalaye, MD, of the University of Chicago, and colleagues.
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The society supports this mission through activities in: clinical practice; professional education on the clinical care of older people; research; public education and information; public policy efforts; and through collaborative relationships with other organizations. For more information about AGS programs and initiatives, visit the AGS Web site at www.americangeriatrics.org.
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