Frailty begins to accelerate 4 to 9 years before dementia onset and may help identify at-risk populations for prevention strategies. A recent study published in JAMA Neurology investigated the relationship between frailty and the risk of dementia by analyzing frailty trajectories in older adults before the onset of dementia. Using data from multiple large cohort studies, the researchers assessed how frailty levels change over time.
They aimed to identify whether frailty could be a potential early marker for dementia risk and a target for preventative interventions. Background Dementia is a natural process in aging populations and stems from diverse age-related brain pathologies that suggest that aging itself is a primary factor influencing the risk of dementia. However, identifying markers that reflect biological age and predict the onset of dementia could improve prevention and treatment efforts.
Frailty, characterized by physical vulnerability due to accumulated deficits in health, has emerged as a promising indicator of biological age and risk of dementia. Studies have shown that higher frailty scores align with increased dementia risk, independent of age. However, while physical and social factors such as exercise and nutrition are known to affect frailty, the relationship between frailty and dementia remains poorly understood.
Moreover, potential reverse causality — the possibility that frailty may both influence and be influenced by impending dementia — further comp.