Peiyang Gao1, Jin-Tai Yu2
1Qingdao Municipal Hospital, Qingdao University, 2Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital Fudan University
Objective:
Leveraging the extensive and multilayered population-based data to systematically elucidate the relationship between physical frailty and brain health.
Background:
Physical frailty, defined as functional degeneration, is recognized as a risk factor for various health outcomes. However, comprehensive research exploring the relationship and underlying mechanism between physical frailty and brain health is still lacking.
Design/Methods:
Here, 316905 participants from the UK Biobank were included in this prospective longitudinal study. Physical frailty was assessed by five phenotypes, including exhaustion, low grip strength, low physical activity, weight loss, and slow walking speed. Linear regression model and cross-lagged panel model were firstly applied to evaluate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship of physical frailty with brain function, including mental health and cognitive function. Cox proportional hazard model and Mendelian randomization analyses were further conducted to examine the longitudinal association and causal relationship between physical frailty and eight brain disorders. Finally, the cross-sectional correlation between physical frailty and brain cortical and subcortical regions were assessed using linear regression model.
Results:
Here, 316,905 participants from the UK Biobank with a median 14.48 follow-up years were included. After adjusted covariates, a significant cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship of physical frailty and five phenotypes with mental unhealth (four depression scales, life satisfaction, general mental status, and traumatic events) and worse cognition (reaction time, numeric memory, and fluid intelligence). Cox model and MR analyses revealed significant associations of physical frailty and five phenotypes with risk of incident dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, sleep disorders, anxiety, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. Moreover, neuroimaging analyses emphasized the correlation of physical frailty with the cortical frontal cortex and subcortical regions including the thalamus, lateral ventricle, and hippocampus.
Conclusions:
Our study provides integrated evidence from multiple perspectives demonstrating that physical frailty could impact brain health, suggesting physical frailty may be a promising intervention target for brain health.
Disclaimer: Abstracts were not reviewed by Neurology® and do not reflect the views of Neurology® editors or staff.