Important tips for preventing Alzheimer's.. What about muscle strength?

Skeletal muscle mass declines with age, and this loss may increase the chances of developing dementia by up to 60%, according to new research.

The research, conducted by neuroscience researchers at Johns Hopkins University, suggests that maintaining muscle may be one way to help prevent dementia.

Alzheimer's prevention

The results of the research were presented this morning at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, held in Chicago until December 5.

Marilyn Albert, a co-researcher, said: "We found that older adults who have smaller skeletal muscles are 60% more likely to develop dementia."

The researchers explained: "Skeletal muscles make up about a third of a person's body weight and tend to shrink with age."

To see how muscle loss might affect brain health, Albert and her colleagues focused on the temporalis muscle, which helps move the jaw.

The muscle mass advantage

According to HealthDay, it has long been known that a decline in this muscle reflects the loss of skeletal muscle throughout the body.

By studying this muscle in 619 people with an average age of 77, they found that having a smaller temporalis muscle (and therefore smaller skeletal muscle throughout the body) was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of also being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

“Once a person knows that they are losing vital muscle, they can use weight training, diet, and other measures to slow this loss,” the researchers advised.