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The strength of the skeleton is often assessed by measuring bone mineral density, which reflects how well bones can withstand damage and resist fractures. According to research, changes in the skeleton could also provide important clues about cognitive aging. A new study points to a potential connection between reduced spinal bone density, changes in the brain, and a more rapid decline in brain aging.
Over five years, researchers examined medical imaging data from more than 700 older adults with an average age of 69, none of whom had a history of dementia or stroke when the study began. The analysis revealed that participants with lower bone density in their thoracic spine experienced a steeper decline in overall cognitive abilities, along with faster deterioration in the brain's communication pathways. The relationship persisted even when researchers considered differences in age, smoking habits, education, and heart health.
The relationship between bone health and brain aging may be explained, in part, by biological processes that affect both systems. Bone tissue produces substances such as osteocalcin, which circulates through the bloodstream and may influence the way nerve cells function and communicate. Researchers have also linked changes in aging bone marrow to the buildup of harmful proteins, a process that shares certain characteristics with age-related changes in the brain.
While lower vertebral bone density coincided with several signs of brain aging, researchers cautioned that the association does not establish cause and effect. Bone loss may instead reflect broader biological processes that affect both skeletal health and cognitive function. The relationship also differed according to diabetes status. Among participants with diabetes, lower bone density was linked to faster progression of a particular type of brain damage, but this association was not evident in those without the condition.
Early signs of bone deterioration could provide a valuable clue to an increased risk of cognitive decline, potentially allowing doctors to develop preventive approaches that support both skeletal and brain health.
To view the original scientific study click below:
Deep Learning–derived Bone Mineral Density and Longitudinal White Matter Microstructure and Cognitive Decline: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
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