ArticleAge and ageing2025
Plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations are elevated in community-dwelling adults with sarcopenia.
Article in Age and ageing, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed.
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, Sarcopenia and Digital Gait Characteristics in Older Adults: Insights Into the Brain-Muscle Axis.Journal of cachexia, sarcopenia and muscle · 2026Article
- Novel biomarkers for sarcopenia: a narrative review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2026Review
- Exerkine dysregulation links visceral adiposity to skeletal muscle impairment in end-stage heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: proteomic evidence for a cardio-adipose-muscle axis.Cardiovascular diabetology · 2026Article
- Association between neurofilament light chain, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and sarcopenia in older Indian adults: evidence from LASI-DAD.BMC geriatrics · 2026Article
- Sarcopenia and Muscle Aging: Updated Insights into Molecular Mechanisms and Translational Therapeutics.Endocrinology and metabolism (Seoul, Korea) · 2026Review
- Inflammatory biomarkers and sarcopenia in older adults.Frontiers in aging · 2026Article
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Sex Differences in Metabolic Regulation.Journal of neurochemistry · 2025Review
- Alterations in the Myokine Concentrations in Relation to Sarcopenia and Sleep Disturbances: A Narrative Review.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Review
- Cross-sectional association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor and intrinsic capacity in older adults: The mediating role of oxidative stress.The journal of nutrition, health & aging · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe scalability of a blood-based sarcopenia assessment has generated interest in circulating markers that may enhance management strategies. Data regarding the relevance of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a regulator of neuroplasticity, to sarcopenia in community-dwelling adults are scarce. We examined the association between plasma BDNF concentrations, sarcopenia and individual sarcopenia signatures in a well-characterised adult cohort.
methodsParticipants included 246 men and women aged 50-82 years (mean age = 63.6 years; 52% female). Muscle strength and skeletal muscle index (SMI) were assessed by hand dynamometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Plasma BDNF concentrations were determined, in duplicate, with commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Sarcopenia and individual signatures of sarcopenia (i.e. low grip strength or low SMI) were diagnosed according to the EWGSOP2 algorithm.
resultsPlasma BDNF concentrations were 47.6% higher in participants with sarcopenia than controls (P = 0.005), and demonstrated acceptable diagnostic accuracy (areas under the curves = 0.702, 95%CI = 0.597-0.806, P = 0.002, optimal cut-off >1645 pg/ml). Plasma BDNF concentration >1645 pg/ml was associated with 2.83 greater odds for sarcopenia (95%CI = 1.13-7.11, P = 0.027), than ≤1645 pg/ml, whilst a BDNF Z-score ≥2 was associated with 5.14 higher odds for sarcopenia (95%CI = 1.16-22.82, P = 0.031), than a Z-score <1. Covariates included sex, age, body mass index, habitual physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, comorbidity and educational attainment.
conclusionCirculating BDNF concentrations are elevated in community-dwelling men and women with sarcopenia, which may reflect increased neuromuscular remodelling in these people. Our findings complement existing data, supporting the presence of an intricate relationship between neural integrity and skeletal muscle health. Future studies are needed to establish the mechanistic pathways that may underpin the associations.
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