Amino acid and appendicular skeletal muscle mass insufficiency are associated to cognitive decline in Chinese population.

Authors

Ting Tang, Shuxian Zhang, Yanni Pu, Siquan Li, Bin Jiang, Huiting Liang, Kunmu Zheng, Yan Zheng, He Huang, Jin Li, Xiaodong Pan

Published in

GeroScience. Jun 19, 2026. Epub Jun 19, 2026.

Abstract

The relation between cognitive impairment and skeletal muscle mass or physical exercise has been broadly discussed. However, the underlying molecular features have not been systemically investigated. Essential amino acids are the key factors for skeletal muscle mass. In the current study, we investigated the abundance of metabolites in the serum of ~ 1500 participants in various cognitive status from multiple centers. Our study revealed a positive correlation between serum level of essential AA and cognitive capability in Chinese population cross-sectionally. In addition, the positive correlation between skeletal muscle mass and cognitive capability was identified in an independent population with ~ 6000 participants from a community-based cohort cross-sectionally but not longitudinally. In summary, we observed that the insufficiency of essential AA accompanied by loss of skeletal muscle mass could serve as a potential metabolic signature linking peripheral aging to cognitive decline. The follow-up studies to fully validate our findings may help us to better understand the mechanism of cognitive decline and develop specific therapies for it.

PMID:
42319612
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 19 Jun 2026.

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