Lower vertebral bone mineral density linked to cognitive decline
Lower vertebral bone mineral density (vBMD) is associated with changes in brain structure and cognition among older adults, according to a study published online in Radiology.
A recent study published in Radiology reveals a link between lower vertebral bone mineral density and cognitive decline in older adults. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University examined data from 715 participants without cardiovascular disease in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. They found that lower baseline thoracic vertebral bone mineral density was associated with accelerated decline in white matter fractional anisotropy, increased white matter hyperintensities in the corpus callosum, and faster cognitive decline in global cognitive composite and the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument.
The association with white matter integrity decline did not survive correction for multiple testing. Diabetes exacerbated the connections with WMH progression. Chest CT scans, commonly used for various indications, could serve as opportunistic measurements of bone density associated with cognitive function decline.
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