Relationship between nutritional and psycho-functional status in Alzheimer's disease

This review is directed to define the relationship between nutritional and psycho-functional status in patients with Alzheimer's disease, as assessed by different nutritional indicators: Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA), anthropometry, and body composition. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Nutritional indicators (MNA) (73.9%), anthropometry, especially weight and body mass index (78.2%), met the criteria while body composition was less studied (17.4%).Although the majority of studies, especially when using MNA, recognized an association between nutritional and psycho-functional status, the underlying physiological mechanisms are not fully understood. There is a need for epidemiologic body composition studies to identify the risk associated with malnutrition.