Further evidence of a link between low bone mineral density and dementia is provided in a recently published collaborative study led by researchers at Western Australia’s Perron Institute.
The study also highlighted the potential for quantitative ultrasound (QUS) to measure bone density in the heel as a screening technique for dementia risk. QUS is a non-invasive, radiation-free method for assessing bone density and strength.
The population-based study, published in the Springer-Nature journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, used UK Biobank data with a baseline of 488,223 men and women, narrowed down to a total cohort of 131,030.
“Dementia and osteoporosis frequently co-exist, with an estimated 55 million and 500 million cases respectively reported worldwide,” said Dr Jun Yuan, primary corresponding author and Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Bone and Brain Axis Research Group at Perron Institute and The University of Western Australia, who was responsible for conceptualising the study.
“Decreasing bone mineral density is one of the key pathological features of osteoporosis and it has been reported that patients with osteoporosis are at higher risk of dementia later in life.
“It is plausible that bone health outcomes are associated with the onset and progression of dementia during ageing, which makes screening for lower bone mineral density a promising indicator.
“Identifying individuals at substantial risk of dementia could facilitate earlier diagnosis and enable patients and their families to implement lifestyle changes to slow progression.
“Previous studies have investigated bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (bone density scan) at sites such as the femoral neck and lumbar spine, with sample sizes mostly small.
“The alternative technique of quantitative ultrasound, estimating bone mineral density in the heel, is a reliable and non-invasive method for assessing skeletal health – mobile, radiation-free, inexpensive and easy to perform.
“Further research will help determine whether the association between reduced bone mineral density and dementia risk is due to a causal link, and aid in developing effective strategies for delaying or preventing dementia onset,” Dr Yuan said.
The other corresponding author is Professor Minghao Zheng (Head of Bone and Brain Axis Research Group at the Perron Institute and UWA), the first author is Dr Jun (Stella) Lu (Perron Institute and UWA), and other authors are Professor Frank Mastaglia (Perron Institute), Dr Andrew Chi Pang Tai (Perron Institute), biostatistician Professor Max Bulsara (The University of Notre Dame), orthopaedic surgeon Associate Professor William Blakeney (Royal Perth Hospital and UWA), and rheumatologist Clinical Professor Charles Inderjeeth (Sir Charles Gairdner Osborne Park Health Care Group and UWA).