Little known bone-brain axis to blame?
In a comment, Shaheen Lakhan, MD, a neurologist and researcher in Boston, noted that “bone health is increasingly becoming front of mind in older adults. This study confirms an association between poor bone health – low bone mineral density and bone scores – and poor brain health.”
However, it’s unclear whether the link is causal – that is, whether poor bone health actually leads to poor brain health, and whether that can be staved off by directly supporting bone density,” Dr. Lakhan said.
“The link may very well be the little known ‘brain-bone axis’ – where our bones actually regulate our brain,” he added.
“Take for example the bone-generated hormone osteocalcin that crosses the blood-brain barrier and regulates brain functions like memory and cognition. Mice who don’t express the osteocalcin gene or are injected with antibodies that block osteocalcin actually have poor memory and worse anxiety,” Dr. Lakhan said.
“In any event, good bone health begins with healthy habits: a diet with plenty of calcium, vitamin D, and protein; a regimen of not just cardio, but also weight-bearing exercises; and staying clear of smoking and heavy alcohol intake,” he concluded.
The study was funded by Erasmus Medical Center and Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development, the Research Institute for Diseases in the Elderly, the Netherlands Genomics Initiative, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, the European Commission, and the Municipality of Rotterdam. Dr. Ikram and Dr. Lakhan report no relevant disclosures.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.