Premium
Translational musculoskeletal science: Is sarcopenia the next clinical target after osteoporosis?
Author(s) -
Matthews Gareth D. K.,
Huang Christopher L.H.,
Sun Li,
Zaidi Mone
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06236.x
Subject(s) - sarcopenia , osteoporosis , context (archaeology) , medicine , etiology , senile osteoporosis , physical medicine and rehabilitation , population , bioinformatics , pathology , endocrinology , biology , environmental health , paleontology
Translational medicine must increasingly turn its attention to the aging population and the musculoskeletal deterioration that it entails. The latter involves the integrated function of both muscle and bone. Musculoskeletal science has an established interest in such problems in relationship to osteoporosis of bone. The introductory concepts in this paper consider the extent to which loss of muscle mass and function, or sarcopenia, will be the next major translational target. Its epidemiology shows parallels with that of osteoporosis, and the two tissues have a close functional relationship. Its etiology likely involves a loss of motor units combined with cellular signaling and endocrine changes. Finally, the possibility of modification of these physiological changes in the context of management of the sarcopenic condition is considered.