Cognitive decline is correlated with frailty in community-dwelling older adults

Background Aging impacts both mental and physical health. The relationship between cognitive decline and frailty in aged individuals remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the correlation between cognitive and physical decline in elders, identify contributing factors, and explore potential blood biomarkers associated with these conditions. Methods Three groups at average aged of 65 (288 subjects), aged of 71 (196 subjects), and aged of 79 (80 subjects) were selected from the cohort of the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan (HALST) database. Variables included global cognitive function, assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Fried frailty phenotype, and plasma tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 (TNFR1) were included. Statistical analyses utilized multiple regression analysis of variance, accounting for potential confounding variables. Results We found a gradual MMSE decline from average age of 65 to age of 79, which correlated with an increase in total frailty rating scores, especially in the components of exhaustion, slow walking speed, and weak grip strength (p ≦ 0.008). In addition, higher frailty scores were strongly associated with elevated plasma TNFR1 levels, particularly in components such as low physical activity, and weak grip strength (p ≦ 0.008). Conclusion Cognitive decline correlates with increase in frailty during aging process. Plasma TNFR1 emerges as a valuable indicator for identifying frailty in individuals.