A Simple Grip Strength Test May Reveal Mental Health Risks

Could a simple hand-squeeze test reveal signs of depression or dementia? A growing body of research suggests that hand grip strength—how firmly someone can squeeze—may offer important clues about mental health, cognitive function and overall well-being.

Hand grip strength is typically measured with a small device called a hand dynamometer. It’s a low-cost, simple, noninvasive and objective test that has been known to be an important marker of overall health for some time. More recently, research is showing that stronger hand grip strength also relates to better mental health. Grip strength has been associated with a range of mental health factors, including depression, anxiety, early psychosis, cognitive functioning and well-being. Recent research has also examined connections over time and differences between men and women in the strength of the associations.

The Research

In a study published in June in the American Journal of Psychiatry, lead author Heather Burrell Ward, M.D., and colleagues looked at grip strength tests, brain scans using fMRI, and measures of well-being and functioning. While grip strength was not related to specific psychosis symptoms (like hallucinations or delusions), lower grip strength was associated with lower well-being and poorer functioning. The findings suggest that grip strength, overall functioning, and well-being share common brain pathways, and that grip strength could be used as a practical marker of overall brain health and mental health in young adults with psychosis.

A review of research found that weaker hand-grip strength is associated with increased depression. Because the connection appears to be influenced by factors such as age, gender, and chronic disease status, the authors emphasize the importance of a personalized approach. Hand-grip strength measurement may “serve as a simple, non-invasive tool for early detection and intervention in individuals at risk for depression,” according to the authors. They suggest that exercise-based programs or combining psychotherapy with physical rehabilitation programs, could benefit both physical and mental health. (Ganipineni, 2023)

Another study from a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, highlights tthe connection between grip strength in mid-life and later development of dementia, looking at data on nearly 200,000 adults aged 39 to 73 over a period of more than decade. Measures included cognitive test scores, brain MRI measures, and incidence of dementia. They found that lower hand grip strength was associated with increased dementia. They conclude that “interventions designed to increase muscle strength, particularly among middle-aged adults, may hold promise for the maintenance of neurocognitive brain health.” (Duchowny, 2022)

Another large analysis led by Rongtao Jiang, Ph.D., with Yale School of Medicine, found that greater grip strength was associated with better cognitive functioning, greater well-being, and reduced depression and anxiety symptoms. The association of grip strength and cognitive and well-being measures was stronger among women than men. The authors concluded that stronger grip strength was associated with better mental health, across the population and over time. The increasing evidence points to the potential value of grip strength as a simple, accessible measure of mental health. Activities that build muscle strength may benefit both mind and body.

The increasing evidence points to the potential value of grip strength as a simple, accessible measure of mental health. Activities that build muscle strength may benefit both mind and body.