Intrinsic capacity—the integrated measure of physical and mental function—demonstrates a dynamic relationship with disability that shifts in the years preceding death. This work extends prior evidence that intrinsic capacity predicts mortality and functional decline by clarifying how this relationship changes across the lifespan's final phase.
Key Points
- Intrinsic capacity structure predicts both functional decline and mortality risk
- Association between capacity and disability changes meaningfully before death
- Multidomain assessment enables large-scale screening and early intervention
Longevity Analysis
Understanding how intrinsic capacity evolves before death moves beyond static risk prediction toward dynamic interpretation of functional trajectories. This matters because it reveals when and how physical and cognitive capacity decouple from disability outcomes—information that reshapes both the detection of declining capacity and the timing of interventions. Rather than treating capacity as a fixed marker, clinicians can now recognize the shifting relationship between what a person retains and what they lose, allowing for more precise identification of critical windows for support.
Original published by The Lancet Healthy Longevity, by Katja Hanewald.