THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SARCOPENIA IN OLD-AGE

Our knowledge of the significance of sarcopenia in old age is limited by a lack of epidemiologic data, an incomplete assessment of the patho physiologic consequences of age-related decrements in muscle mass and quality, and poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsib le for these decrements. These gaps prevent us from fully appreciating the extent of the public health burden that sarcopenia poses, and pre sent major obstacles to the elucidation of therapies to prevent or rev erse sarcopenia in the elderly. The National Institute on Aging conven ed the Workshop on Sarcopenia to address these issues. The primary que stions explored at the workshop included: (a) What research is needed to determine the clinical and functional significance of sarcopenia? ( I?) What research is needed to understand its etiology? and (c) What o pportunities are there for determining the efficacy of current or pote ntial interventions to prevent or retard tire development of sarcopeni a? The research recommendations from the workshop underscored the need for more dialogue between researchers in different fields (e.g., endo crinology, exercise physiology, bone biology) and for multidisciplinar y approaches in order to gain greater insight into sarcopenia. The sum mary of the research directions which follows has been organized accor ding to the primary questions of the workshop.