Cognitive decline linked to future bone fracture: study

A 16-year Garvan Institute of Medical Research study has found that women with symptoms of cognitive decline are at higher risk of a future bone fracture.

A Garvan Institute of Medical Research study has identified a link between cognitive decline and a faster rate of bone loss and increased future risk of fracture in older women.

The study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, investigated the association between cognitive decline and  bone loss and between significant cognitive decline over the first five years and fracture risk over the following 10 years in people aged 65 years and over.

Researchers analysed the 1997 to 2013 data of 1,741 women and 620 men from the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study, which documented skeletal health in people living in nine Canadian cities.

They found a link between cognitive decline and a faster rate of bone loss in women. They also found that women had a higher risk of future bone fracture independent of bone loss if they experienced cognitive decline over the first five years after having no symptoms at the beginning of the study.

The link between bone loss and cognitive decline is “an important finding,” said study senior author Professor Jacqueline Center, head of the Clinical Studies and Epidemiology lab at Garvan Intitute of Medical Research.

“It suggests that this association happens well before important adverse events like fracture and dementia,” Professor Center told Australian Ageing Agenda.

This finding was weaker and statistically insignificant among men, the study found.

Lead author Dr Dana Bliuc said the study did not identify why the link was present among women and not men.

“The most likely explanation is that the cohort of men is much smaller than the cohort for women,” Dr Bliuc told AAA.

“The second explanation could be that…women are at a higher risk of both bone loss and cognitive decline in general,” said Dr Bliuc said, senior research officer at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

From left: Professor Jacqueline Center and Dr Dana Bliuc

Professor Center said estrogen deficiency, which affects women after menopause, is another factor that has been independently associated with both bone loss and cognitive decline.

She said osteoporosis was not well treated or recognised in Australian and internationally.

“We think it’s partly because people don’t realise the serious consequences of osteoporosis and fracture,” said Professor Center.

The serious consequences of osteoporosis and fractures include reduced quality of life and increased mortality, Professor Center said.

Other competing health risks, such as cancer and heart disease are seen as more important to the public, Professor Center said.

There needs to be more awareness raised about osteoporosis, she said.

Professor Center said the research suggests cognition should be monitored together with bone health to identify risks earlier.

“If cognitive function is something that’s declining in someone, maybe that should just trigger if there might be other things going on as well,” she said.

“Being proactive in terms of other conditions, such as osteoporosis, may actually help in terms of improving health outcomes.”

Access the study.

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Tags: bone fracture, cognitive decline, dementia, Dr Dana Bliuc, Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Professor Jacqueline Center,

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