Osteoporosis and cognitive impairment in older adults: what is the link?

Osteoporosis and various cognitive disorders occupy a special place among a number of specific pathological conditions associated with age. Epidemiologically these two conditions are closely related thus the presence of cognitive impairment increases the risk of osteoporosis; and, visa versa, dementia, in particular, caused by Alzheimer's disease, and is more often detected among patients with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis in patients with dementia is an extremely serious problem, since the development of osteoporotic fractures is fraught with a sharp deterioration in cognitive status and a significant increase in disability and mortality. The connection between changes in bone mineral density and cognitive status in older adults is not well understood. The review presents data from non-clinical and clinical studies that describe common genetic and metabolic factors underlying the pathogenesis of the pathological conditions under discussion, which should be taken into account when planning future dementia and osteoporosis clinical trials.