* From Department of Gerontology and Internal Medicine, Purpan University Hospital, Toulouse, France (J.L. Albarède). Phone : 05.61.77.76.49. Fax : 05.61.77.25.93 o Email : 101333.1462@compuserve.com ** From Department of Epidemiology, Inserm U 518, Toulouse, France. *** From Department for Exploration of Respiratory Function and Sports Medicine, Purpan University Hospital, Toulouse, France.

Abstract: Objectives: To study appendicular muscle mass in women with Alzheimer's disease (AD) to investigate the association between sarcopenia and AD. To examine the AD associated changes in body fat distribution. Design: a cross-sectional study of 32 women with AD and 32 healthy age and bone mineral density matched women. Setting: Toulouse, France. Results: No differences were noted in fat free soft tissue mass or Appendicular Skeletal Muscle (ASM) mass between AD women and control women. The difference of ASM (kg) /height2 (m)2, used as an index of relative skeletal muscle mass, was not statistically significative between the two groups. The prevalence of sarcopenia increased from 21.9 % in healthy elderly women to 40.6 % in AD women but the difference was not statistically significant. No statistically significant relationship emerged between sarcopenia and AD (OR= 0.41, CI 0.12-1.4). Moreover, total body fat mass was significantly lower in women with AD than in the age - , sex - and bone mineral density - matched controls. Conclusion: AD are not necessary linked to sarcopenia. The decrease in adipose tissue in women with AD could be one more factor involving estrogen deficiency in the etiology of the disease.

Key words: alzheimer's disease, sarcopenia, elderly