Sex-Specific Association of Low Muscle Mass with Depression Status in Asymptomatic Adults: A Population-Based Study

Overview

Journal Brain Sci

Publisher MDPI

Date 2024 Nov 27

PMID 39595856

Authors

Sung Joon Cho

Sra Jung

Mi-Yeon Lee

Chul Hyun Park

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to examine the correlation between low muscle mass (LMM) and depression, with a specific focus on identifying the sex-specific relationship between LMM and depression in a large sample.

Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study involved 292,922 community-dwelling adults from 2012 to 2019. Measurements were taken using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD) scale and body composition analyses. Depression was defined as a CESD score ≥ 16, and severe depression as a CESD score ≥ 22. LMM was defined as an appendicular muscle mass/height below 7.0 kg/m in men and below 5.4 kg/m in women. Sex-based multivariable logistic regression analyzed the LMM-depression association, adjusting for confounders, with depression status and severe depression status as dependent variables.

Results: Both men and women in the LMM group had an increased odds of depression (men, adjusted odds ratio = 1.13 [95% confidence interval = 1.03-1.12]; women, 1.07 [1.03-1.23]) and severe depression (men, 1.20 [1.05-1.36]; women, 1.10 [1.04-1.15]) compared to those in the control group. Men showed a stronger association between LMM and the presence of depression ( for interaction = 0.025) and the presence of severe depression ( for interaction = 0.025) compared to women.

Conclusions: Decreased muscle mass was independently associated with increased chances of depression and severe depression in both sexes, with a significantly stronger association in men compared to women. This highlights the potential significance of LMM as a predictor of depression, particularly in men.

Citing Articles

Dietary influence on the link between depression and muscle mass and muscle strength: exploring interaction and mediation effects.

Gan D, Wu X, Zhang Y, Gao Y, Huang X, Han S BMC Public Health. 2025; 25(1):764.

PMID: 39994633 PMC: 11852900. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-21975-2.

References

Barrett-Connor E, von Muhlen D, Kritz-Silverstein D . Bioavailable testosterone and depressed mood in older men: the Rancho Bernardo Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1999; 84(2):573-7. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.84.2.5495. View

Fielding R, Vellas B, Evans W, Bhasin S, Morley J, Newman A . Sarcopenia: an undiagnosed condition in older adults. Current consensus definition: prevalence, etiology, and consequences. International working group on sarcopenia. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2011; 12(4):249-56. PMC: 3377163. DOI: 10.1016/j.jamda.2011.01.003. View

Zarrouf F, Artz S, Griffith J, Sirbu C, Kommor M . Testosterone and depression: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Pract. 2009; 15(4):289-305. DOI: 10.1097/01.pra.0000358315.88931.fc. View

Anker S, Morley J, von Haehling S . Welcome to the ICD-10 code for sarcopenia. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. 2016; 7(5):512-514. PMC: 5114626. DOI: 10.1002/jcsm.12147. View

Wang K, Song F, Xu K, Liu Z, Han S, Li F . Irisin Attenuates Neuroinflammation and Prevents the Memory and Cognitive Deterioration in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice. Mediators Inflamm. 2019; 2019:1567179. PMC: 6590589. DOI: 10.1155/2019/1567179. View

Chang K, Hsu T, Wu W, Huang K, Han D . Is sarcopenia associated with depression? A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Age Ageing. 2017; 46(5):738-746. DOI: 10.1093/ageing/afx094. View

Noble R . Depression in women. Metabolism. 2005; 54(5 Suppl 1):49-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2005.01.014. View

Haringsma R, Engels G, Beekman A, Spinhoven P . The criterion validity of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) in a sample of self-referred elders with depressive symptomatology. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2004; 19(6):558-63. DOI: 10.1002/gps.1130. View

Crush E, Frith E, Loprinzi P . Experimental effects of acute exercise duration and exercise recovery on mood state. J Affect Disord. 2018; 229:282-287. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.12.092. View

10.

Zhang Y, Yang M, Li M . Causality between sarcopenia-related traits and major depressive disorder: A bi-directional, two-sample Mendelian randomized study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023; 102(40):e35071. PMC: 10553098. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000035071. View

11.

Norheim F, Langleite T, Hjorth M, Holen T, Kielland A, Stadheim H . The effects of acute and chronic exercise on PGC-1α, irisin and browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue in humans. FEBS J. 2013; 281(3):739-49. DOI: 10.1111/febs.12619. View

12.

Zhao X, Chen S, Liu N, Hu F, Yu J . Handgrip strength is positively associated with successful aging in older adults: A national cross-sectional study in China. J Affect Disord. 2023; 333:30-37. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.041. View

13.

Park C, Do J, Lee Y, Yoon K . Sarcopenic obesity associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in age and sex comparison: a two-center study in South Korea. BMJ Open. 2018; 8(9):e021232. PMC: 6150137. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021232. View

14.

Bhasin S . Testosterone supplementation for aging-associated sarcopenia. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2003; 58(11):1002-8. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/58.11.m1002. View

15.

Unden F, Ljunggren J, BECK-FRIIS J, Kjellman B, Wetterberg L . Hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in major depressive disorders. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1988; 78(2):138-46. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1988.tb06313.x. View

16.

Janssen I, Heymsfield S, Ross R . Low relative skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) in older persons is associated with functional impairment and physical disability. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2002; 50(5):889-96. DOI: 10.1046/j.1532-5415.2002.50216.x. View

17.

Kim T, Yang S, Yoo H, Lim K, Kang H, Song W . Prevalence of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in Korean adults: the Korean sarcopenic obesity study. Int J Obes (Lond). 2009; 33(8):885-92. DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2009.130. View

18.

Dinas P, Koutedakis Y, Flouris A . Effects of exercise and physical activity on depression. Ir J Med Sci. 2010; 180(2):319-25. DOI: 10.1007/s11845-010-0633-9. View

19.

Lexell J, TAYLOR C, Sjostrom M . What is the cause of the ageing atrophy? Total number, size and proportion of different fiber types studied in whole vastus lateralis muscle from 15- to 83-year-old men. J Neurol Sci. 1988; 84(2-3):275-94. DOI: 10.1016/0022-510x(88)90132-3. View

20.

Opstad K . Circadian rhythm of hormones is extinguished during prolonged physical stress, sleep and energy deficiency in young men. Eur J Endocrinol. 1994; 131(1):56-66. DOI: 10.1530/eje.0.1310056. View