WHY ARE ALZHEIMER PATIENTS THIN?

Abstract

Nutritional assessments were performed in three groups of hospitalized elderly women comparable in age and mobility: a group with Alzheimer's disease (ALZ), a multi-infarct dementia group (MID) and a nondemented group (ND). We have shown that: ALZ patients lose weight and on average weigh 21% less than ND patients and 14% less than MID patients. This weight loss is not accounted for by any obvious deficit in food intake, or by malabsorption. Biochemical indices of nutrition are little different in the three groups. The reason for weight loss in ALZ remains uncertain.