A new study suggests a link between reduced size of the temporalis muscle (jaw muscle) and an increased risk of developing dementia. Researchers found that individuals with smaller temporalis muscles had a 60% higher chance of developing Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The study also linked smaller muscle size to memory decline, reduced functional abilities, and brain volume reduction.
Dementia is a devastating condition that impacts up to 10 percent of older adults. And while there's no cure, getting diagnosed early can help patients get on a treatment plan and families prepare. Now, new research suggests that the reduced size of a specific muscle could indicate that someone has an increased risk of dementia. Of course, it’s a little complicated. Here’s what the study found, plus what you can do to lower your dementia risk.
“The relationship between muscle loss and dementia is increasingly recognized as significant, though not yet fully understood,” says Ryan Glatt, CPT, senior brain health coach and director of the FitBrain Program at Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. A smaller temporalis muscle can actually indicate sarcopenia, which is the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength.
Dementia Alzheimer's Disease Muscle Loss Cognitive Decline Risk Factors
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