Bone Mineral Density and the Risk of Alzheimer Disease
Abstract
Background Some, but not all, studies have suggested that estrogen replacement therapy has a beneficial effect on cognition in postmenopausal women. Bone mineral density (BMD) is a potential surrogate marker for cumulative estrogen exposure and has been associated with cognitive performance and risk of cognitive deterioration. Objective To examine whether low BMD in elderly individuals is associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer disease (AD). Design, setting, and participants Community-based prospective cohort study of 987 subjects (610 women) who were cognitively intact and had baseline BMD measured at the femoral neck, the trochanter, and the radial shaft between 1988 and 1989. Main outcome measures Incidence of AD and all-cause dementia during an 8-year follow-up period. Results Women in the lowest quartile of femoral neck BMD had more than twice the incidence of AD (hazard ratio, 2.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.11-3.75) and all-cause dementia (hazard ratio, 2.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-3.49) compared with those in higher quartiles after adjusting for age, sex, apolipoprotein E epsilon4, baseline homocysteine level, education, estrogen use, smoking, and stroke. A similar but statistically nonsignificant relationship was observed between BMD of the femoral trochanter and AD, while no such relationship was seen between radial BMD and AD or all-cause dementia. In men, there was a trend toward an inverse relationship between BMD and the risk of AD, but…
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Patients with osteoporosis often have a higher incidence of AD.
“Patients with osteoporosis often have a higher incidence of AD, and bone loss is frequently detected early in the progression of AD, preceding substantial cognitive decline25–27.”
From Serum amyloid P secreted by bone marrow adipocytes drives skeletal amyloidosis (2025) · cites this paper as [26]
Bone loss is frequently detected early in the progression of AD, preceding substantial cognitive decline.
“Patients with osteoporosis often have a higher incidence of AD, and bone loss is frequently detected early in the progression of AD, preceding substantial cognitive decline25–27.”
From Serum amyloid P secreted by bone marrow adipocytes drives skeletal amyloidosis (2025) · cites this paper as [26]
Low bone mineral density can predict risk of AD years before dementia diagnosis.
“Notably, low bone mineral density can predict risk of AD years before dementia diagnosis26,28,29.”
From Serum amyloid P secreted by bone marrow adipocytes drives skeletal amyloidosis (2025) · cites this paper as [26]
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- Authors
- Tan, Z. S., Seshadri, S., Beiser, A., Zhang, Y., Felson, D., Hannan, M. T., Au, R., Wolf, P. A., & Kiel, D. P.
- Affiliations
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Boston University (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- ORCID
- Venue
- Archives of Neurology
- Publisher
- American Medical Association (AMA)
- Published
- 2005-01-01
- Volume
- 62
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 107
- ISSN
- 0003-9942 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2130413565
- Cited by
- 123
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Archives of Neurology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5-R01-, n01hc25195-41-0-1, N01-HC 25195)
- U.S. Public Health Service (NIH 47785)
- National Institute on Aging (AG-16495, 5R01 AG 16495-04, N01-HC-25195, 5R01 AG 08122-12, AG08122, R01AG016495, R01AG008122)
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (N01‐HC25195, AG08122, AG16495)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS17950, N01‐HC‐25195, 5R01 NS 17950-21, R01NS017950)
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (R01 AR/AG 41398)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Bone health and osteoporosis research
- Keywords
- bone mineral density, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, estrogen replacement therapy, postmenopausal women, femoral neck, cognitive decline, sex differences
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Bone and Bones, Female, Femur, Femur Neck, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Male, Mental Status Schedule, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Retrospective Studies, Risk, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Models, Statistical, Bone Density
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