# Temporal muscle thickness predicts change in nutritional markers in individuals at risk of dementia: Insights from a 24-week longitudinal study

## TL;DR

Thicker temporal muscles in dementia-risk patients are linked to better nutritional markers like albumin and weight over 24 weeks.

## Contribution

This study shows that temporal muscle thickness is a novel, accessible biomarker for tracking non-cognitive health in dementia-risk individuals.

## Key findings

- Thicker temporal muscles at baseline correlated with higher weight in dementia-risk patients.
- Temporal muscle thickness at follow-up predicted higher albumin levels and weight.
- Temporal muscle thickness could be used clinically to monitor health beyond cognitive decline.

## Abstract

•In patients in the spectrum of cognitive decline, it is important to consider outcomes beyond cognition, such as nutritional status.•At follow-up, temporal muscle thickness was associated with albumin levels and weight.•Temporal muscle thickness is a widely available biomarker, that could possibly be a tool for the assessment of patients beyond cognition.

In patients in the spectrum of cognitive decline, it is important to consider outcomes beyond cognition, such as nutritional status.

At follow-up, temporal muscle thickness was associated with albumin levels and weight.

Temporal muscle thickness is a widely available biomarker, that could possibly be a tool for the assessment of patients beyond cognition.

To investigate whether temporal muscle thickness (TMT) can serve as a predictor of change in nutritional widely used biomarkers in patients at risk of dementia.

Longitudinal observational study.

Secondary analysis from a 24-week study conducted across three centers in Norway between 2018 and 2020.

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or with two cardiometabolic disorders were included (n = 165).

Baseline and longitudinal statistical analysis were carried out to establish the association for outcomes (albumin, weight, C-Reactive Protein and Episodic Memory Quality) with TMT.

At baseline, there was a positive association between TMT and weight (Estimate=1.5157, p = 0.009). At follow-up, positive associations were observed between TMT and albumin levels (Estimate=0.3031, P = 0.048), as well as TMT and weight (Estimate=1.8954, P = 0.001).

TMT is a possible accessible tool in clinical practice for monitoring health variables beyond cognitive decline in patients at risk of dementia.