Sarcopenia and relationship with mental health disorder in older people
Keywords:
sarcopenia; older adults; mental illnessesAbstract
Abstract
Introduction: The rapid aging of the global population is the most important demographic transformation of the 21st century. Sarcopenia, defined as the loss of muscle strength, quality, or quantity with impairment of physical performance, may lead to the onset of mental disorders and vice versa. Objective: To identify the impact of sarcopenia on mental illnesses in older adults. Methodology: An exhaustive literature search was conducted over the past five years in the following databases: Medline, LILACS, Google Scholar, and Bireme. The bibliographic sources matched the search terms and were published in books or journals with a high scientific level. Results: Most of the reviewed studies found an association between sarcopenia and mental disorders, with a statistically significant relationship with depression in older adults. Biological mechanisms and their relationship with lifestyle are described. Conclusions: A bidirectional relationship exists between sarcopenia and mental illness in older adults, as evidenced in the literature.
Downloads
References
1. Organización mundial de la salud. Envejecimiento saludable [Internet]. Ginebra: OMS; 2020 [Citado 2026 Ene 22]. Disponible en:
http://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health
2. World Health Organization. International classification of diseases for mortality and morbidity statistics (11th Revision) Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2018 [cited 2026 Jan 13]. Available from: https://www.who.int
3. Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, Boirie Y, Bruyére O, Cederholm T, et al. Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis. Age Ageing. 2019;48(1):16‑31. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4. Carbo Alonso Y, Peña González M, Rodríguez Graña T, Rivas Carralero R, Jorge Sainz Y. Sobre la presentación del síndrome sarcopénico entre los adultos mayores que asisten a un combinado deportivo en la Ciudad de Holguín. Rev cubana Aliment Nutri. [Internet].2021 [citado2024 sep 18 .31(1). Disponible en: http://revalnutricion.sld.cu/index.php/rcan/article/view/1095
5. Ramos, JMG, et al. El impacto en la salud mental por complicaciones de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en la población adulta mayor en la última década en Latinoamérica. Reincisol., 2024, vol. 3, no 6, p. 6283-6298.
Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.59282/reincisol.V3(6)6283-6298
6. Organización mundial de la salud. Salud mental [Internet]. Ginebra: OMS; 2025 Oct 8 [Citado 2026 Ene 22]. Disponible en:
https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response
7. Papadopoulou SK. Sarcopenia: A contemporary health problem among older adult populations. Nutrients. 2020;12(5):1293. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
8. Yogesh M, Dave A, Kagathara J, Gandhi R, Lakkad D. Prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with mental health status in elderly patients: A comparative cross‑sectional study. J Mid‑life Health. January-March 2025;16(1)51‑9. Disponible en: http://doi.org//10.4103/jmh.jmh_154_24
9. Zhang Y, et al. Associations of sarcopenia with depression and suicidal ideation: the sex-specific mediating role of loneliness. BMC geriatrics, 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 13]; 26(1):145. Disponible en : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06551-y
10. Ge H, Yang S, Su W, Guan W, Dong S, Chang W, Jia H, Jiang S, Qin D, Ma G. The relationship between sarcopenia and mental health status in Chinese older adults: the mediating role of activities of daily living. BMC Geriatr. 2025 Jan 29;25(1):64. Disponible en: https://doi.org//10.1186/s12877-025-05723-0
11. Villani ER, Salerno A, Triolo F. et al. Probables síntomas de sarcopenia y depresión en adultos mayores que viven en comunidad: explorando el papel de la fragilidad y las comorbilidades. Envejecimiento Clin Exp Res (37); 104 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-025-03005-8
12. Maia C et al. Asociación entre sarcopenia y síntomas depresivos mayores en personas mayores en instituciones de cuidados de larga duración. Revista Contemporânea. 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 13]; 5 (9): p 1-17.
Disponible en: DOI: https://doi.org//10.56083/RCV5N9-098
13. Li Z, Liu B, Tong X et al. The association between sarcopenia and incident of depressive symptoms: a prospective cohort study. BMC Geriatr 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 13]; 24 (74). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04653-z
14. Lugo- Rejón S. Sarcopenia, resistencia física, bienestar psicológico y depresión en personas con diabetes tipo 2. Ciencia y Humanismo en la Salud 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 13]; 11 (2), pp 61-67. Disponible en : https://revistacienciayhumanismoenlasalud.uady.mx/cienciayhumanismo/article/view/241/351
15. Casca LN. Riesgo de sarcopenia y síntomas depresivos en el adulto mayor. Estudio multicéntrico, Lima 2022. 2023 [cited 2026 Jan 13] Disponible en: https://alicia.concytec.gob.pe/vufind/Record/UNJB_a9d9e6ed4e31634ec1ced4bb5c7ba5bb
16. Zhong Q et al. Depresión y riesgo de sarcopenia: una cohorte nacional y estudio de aleatorización mendeliana. Fronteras en psiquiatría, 2023 [cited 2026 Feb 12], 14, p. 1263553. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1263553
17. Lee JD, Lee JH. Association between Possible Sarcopenia and Depressive Symptoms in Korean Older Adults: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2018. Korean J Fam Med. 2023 May[cited 2026 Feb 13];44(3):143-150. doi: https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.22.0145.
18. Zabala Guzmán MC. Depresión como predictor de sarcopenia en personas mayores chilenas. Estudio ALEXANDROS. 2022 [cited 2026 Feb 13]. Disponible en: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/203557/Depresion-como-predictor-de-sarcopenia.pdf?sequence=1
19. Chen Z, Ho M; Chau PH. Prevalence, incidence, and associated factors of possible sarcopenia in community-dwelling Chinese older adults: A population-based longitudinal study. Frontiers in medicine, 2022 [cited 2026 Jan 13], 8, p. 769708 Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.769708
20. Deliba Dursun Hakan, et al. Clarifying the relationship between sarcopenia and depression in geriatric outpatients. The Aging Male, 2021, vol. 24, no 1, p. 29-36. 20 / 2021 Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1080/13685538.2021.1936482
21. Díaz Medrano, A et al. Asociación entre sarcopenia y trastornos neurocognitivos en adultos mayores con hipertensión arterial: diferencias entre instrumentos de evaluación. Acta Médica Peruana, 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 26]; 42 (3)
Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.35663/amp.2025.423.354
22. Lee, JD., & Lee, JH. Association between Possible Sarcopenia and Depressive Symptoms in Korean Older Adults: Results from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2018. Korean Journal of Family Medicine. 2023 [cited 2026 Feb 12]; 44(3), 143-150. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.22.0145
23. Ore Lara, C Deterioro cognitivo y sarcopenia en adultos mayores que asisten a una asociación de Puente Piedra, 2025. [Internet]. Universidad Privada Norbert Wiener; 2025 [citado: 2026, febrero] Disponible en: https://repositorio.uwiener.edu.pe/server/api/core/bitstreams/4e1ce131-5a9f-491d-ab05-952f312f0da4/content
24. Ragusa, F.S., Veronese, N., Vernuccio, L. et al. Mild cognitive impairment predicts the onset of Sarcopenia: a longitudinal analysis from the English Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Aging Clin Exp Res, 2024 [cited 2026 Jan 26]; 36 (129). Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-024-02781-z
25. Salinas Rodríguez A., Palazuelos González R., Rivera Almaraz A., and Manrique-Espinoza B. Longitudinal association of sarcopenia and mild cognitive impairment among older Mexican adults. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, 2025; 12, 1848–1859.
Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12787
26. Jiang T, et al. Sarcopenia is associated with early posoperative decline in older adults following hip fracture surgery: a prospective cohort study. BMC Geriatr. 2025 Dec 2; 26(1):62.
Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06811-x.
27. Hu Y., Peng W., Ren R., Wang Y. y Wang G. Sarcopenia y deterioro cognitivo leve en adultos mayores: La primera evidencia longitudinal de CHARLS. Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle; 2022 13 (6), 2944–2952. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.13081
28. Cho MR; Lee S; Song SK. A review of sarcopenia pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and future direction. Journal of Korean medical science, 2022 [cited 2026 Jan 26]; 37(18). Disponible en: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e146
29. Yuan S; Larsson, SC. Epidemiology of sarcopenia: Prevalence, risk factors, and consequences. Metabolism, 2023[cited 2026 Jan 26], 144, p. 155533. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155533
30. Santini ZI, Jose PE, York Cornwell E, et al. Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among older Americans (NSHAP): a longitudinal mediation analysis. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(1):e62-e70. https://doi.org//10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30230-0
31. Álvarez M, Deleón R, Vergara M, et al. Sarcopenia, Depresión e Inflamación Crónica, factores asociados a fragilidad en Adultos Mayores en hemodiálisis crónica en un hospital del sur de Chile. Rev Nefrol Dial Traspl. 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 26]; 45(1):3-12. Disponible en: https://www.medigraphic.com/cgibin/new/resumen.cgi?IDARTICULO=120066
32. Wu J et al. Study on the comorbid mechanisms of sarcopenia and late-life depression. Behavioural Brain Research. 2025 [cited 2026 Jan 26]; 485
Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115538
33. Wei J, Chen W, Zhu M, et al. Depression and sarcopenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2022;23(4):577-587.e5. https://doi.gov//10.1016/j.jamda.2021.11.032.
34. Dong X, Yu Y, Li J, Chai X, Shan W, Yan H and Lu Y . A study of the correlation between sarcopenia and cognitive impairment in older individuals over 60 years: cross-sectional and longitudinal validation. Front. Aging Neurosci. 2024[cited 2026 Feb 16]; 16:1489185. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1489185
35. Jo D, Yoon G, Kim OY, Song J Un nuevo paradigma en la sarcopenia: deteriro cognitivo causado por la secreción desequilibrada de mioquinas y disfunción vascular. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.2022 [cited 2026 Feb 16]; 147 p 112636. Disponible en: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112636
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ileana Ruisánchez Montero, Mirkadennia Nash Triana, Hanoi Alzugaray González

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
