BRC Biomedical PhD Student
Sarcopenia and Frailty in early dementia with Lewy bodies
Samantha Waite
This research investigates sarcopenia and frailty in individuals with prodromal dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s disease.
The Study
Sarcopenia and frailty are both increasingly recognised in older patients, but to date there is a paucity of work on how these syndromes interrelate with age-related neurological diseases such as dementia.
This project will approach participants in the already funded 123I-MIBG Scintigraphy Utility as a biomarker for Prodromal DEmentia with Lewy Bodies (SUPERB) study at annual follow-up to assess frailty and sarcopenia and determine whether this predicts falls risk and/or cognitive decline. Participants will be followed up over 12 months with falls diaries and assessments, which will be repeated a year after their baseline sarcopenia assessment.
The aims of this study are to:
1) Characterise skeletal muscle using: bioimpedance, a standardised measure of grip strength and a short physical performance battery in this well-defined cohort of participants with prodromal DLB
2) Describe associations of skeletal muscle with cognition and physical performance
3) Describe associations of skeletal muscle with falls over 12 months
Project milestones
- First participants consented and assessed for sarcopenia at year 1
- Falls diaries completed and full year of recruitment completed
- Participants assessed again at 12 months
- Final one year follow-up assessment completed