About this Research Topic
Advancing age is associated with profound changes in body composition that may not necessarily be reflected in body weight. One of the most notable changes is sarcopenia - a major determinant of frailty, disability and mortality. The loss of lean body mass is often masked by stable body weight and can result in a condition known as sarcopenic obesity that further increases the risk of disability, morbidity and mortality.
Although the decline in muscle mass and strength with age is a "hot topic" in geriatric research, sarcopenia is still orphan of a univocal operational definition. This, together with the heterogeneity of the clinical phenotypes, the complex pathophysiology and the lack of standardized biomarkers, makes it difficult to incorporate it in every-day clinical practice and to develop pharmacological treatments. The clinical implementation and the study of sarcopenia are further complicated by the frequent superimposition of common conditions of advanced age, such as cachexia, malnutrition, changes in metabolic rate, and various diseases.
The overall scope of this Research Topic is broad; the main focus is on age-related changes in body composition. This Research Topic intends to bring together clinicians and basic researchers working in the field of muscle aging in human and pre-clinical models. The aim of this collection is to increase awareness of the relevance of age-related changes in body composition among healthcare providers, with a special focus on muscle wasting. The Research Topic is also meant to expand our knowledge and improve the understanding of the pathophysiology of muscle aging. Contributors are encouraged to submit research articles, intervention studies, studies describing non-pharmacological interventions, reviews, mini-reviews, clinical case studies, perspectives, short communications as well as theoretical papers, opinions, and methods relevant to this article collection that will cover this topic from the different yet complementary points of view.
Although the decline in muscle mass and strength with age is a "hot topic" in geriatric research, sarcopenia is still orphan of a univocal operational definition. This, together with the heterogeneity of the clinical phenotypes, the complex pathophysiology and the lack of standardized biomarkers, makes it difficult to incorporate it in every-day clinical practice and to develop pharmacological treatments. The clinical implementation and the study of sarcopenia are further complicated by the frequent superimposition of common conditions of advanced age, such as cachexia, malnutrition, changes in metabolic rate, and various diseases.
The overall scope of this Research Topic is broad; the main focus is on age-related changes in body composition. This Research Topic intends to bring together clinicians and basic researchers working in the field of muscle aging in human and pre-clinical models. The aim of this collection is to increase awareness of the relevance of age-related changes in body composition among healthcare providers, with a special focus on muscle wasting. The Research Topic is also meant to expand our knowledge and improve the understanding of the pathophysiology of muscle aging. Contributors are encouraged to submit research articles, intervention studies, studies describing non-pharmacological interventions, reviews, mini-reviews, clinical case studies, perspectives, short communications as well as theoretical papers, opinions, and methods relevant to this article collection that will cover this topic from the different yet complementary points of view.
Keywords: Aging, sarcopenia, frailty, cachexia, muscle aging
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