Sarcopenia, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia in Older Adults: What a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Found

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who work with older adults in outpatient, home health, hospital, skilled nursing or community wellness settings, and who want a clear account of what the evidence shows about muscle loss and cognitive decline occurring together.

Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants

Intended audience

Physical Therapy

Level

Intermediate

Delivery format

Online, asynchronous, self-paced course: interactive reading with audio or video, and a scored post-test.

Based on

Amini N, Ibn Hach M, Lapauw L, Dupont J, Vercauteren L, Verschueren S, Tournoy J, Gielen E. Meta-analysis on the interrelationship between sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2024;15(4):1240–1253. doi:10.1002/jcsm.13485. PMID: 38715252. PMCID: PMC11294028.

After completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Describe what the systematic review and meta-analysis examined and which populations and settings the included studies drew from.
2. State the direction of the pooled association the authors reported between sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and non-Alzheimer's dementia.
3. Explain the main limitations the authors identified and the conclusion they drew about screening and prevention of sarcopenia in older adults with cognitive dysfunction.

1. Start Here: How This Course Works
2. Podcast: Muscle Loss and the Ageing Brain (about nine minutes)
3. What the Review Set Out to Answer and Who Was Included
4. How the Evidence Was Gathered, Judged and Combined
5. What the Pooled Analysis Showed Across MCI, Alzheimer's and Other Dementias
6. Why the Authors Urged Caution: Design, Definitions and Study Quality
7. Screening, Prevention and the Questions Still Open for Rehabilitation
8. Key Takeaways
9. Post-Test and Course Evaluation

Quinn Millington, PT, DPT, ECS is the instructor of record: the licensed clinician who reviewed this course and signed off on it. The name and credentials print on the certificate.

Disclosures. This course was developed by The ConEd Solution, which has a financial interest in its sale. No outside funding or sponsorship was received. The instructor of record has no affiliation with the authors of the source publication or their institutions.

This course awards 0.5 contact hours (30 min). How you earn them:

1. Complete the course. Every lesson, in order.
2. Pass the post-test. Score 80% or higher. Retakes are allowed.
3. Complete the evaluation. A short form rating each learning objective and the course.
4. Download your certificate. It is issued on completion and stays available in My Account.

The episode time is its measured length. Reading, post-test and evaluation times are estimates.

This course is designed to satisfy the quality requirements state boards set for continuing education. Requirements vary by state, and confirming that a course fits your renewal is up to you. Each state’s own acceptance statement is in the credit panel on this page.

1. Amini N, Ibn Hach M, Lapauw L, Dupont J, Vercauteren L, Verschueren S, Tournoy J, Gielen E. Meta-analysis on the interrelationship between sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2024;15(4):1240–1253. doi:10.1002/jcsm.13485. PMID: 38715252. PMCID: PMC11294028.