Cognitive frailty is a complex syndrome that merges physical frailty with cognitive impairment, significantly increasing the risk of adverse health outcomes such as disability and dementia.

The original concept of frailty was defined by Fried et al. in 2001, utilizing a phenotype model that includes criteria such as unintentional weight loss and muscle weakness.

Cognitive frailty has a prevalence that varies widely, ranging from 1.0% to 22.0%, with notably higher rates observed in clinical settings compared to population-based studies.

A systematic review conducted in 2015 established a link between the accumulation of deficits model of frailty and the incidence of late-life cognitive impairment and dementia.

Recent studies have broadened the definition of frailty to encompass cognitive elements, highlighting the significant relationship between cognitive decline and physical frailty.

Experts advocate for a multidimensional approach to frailty that focuses on modifiable risk factors, which could help delay or prevent the progression to advanced frailty.

The necessity for a comprehensive understanding of frailty is emphasized, incorporating both cognitive and physical aspects to enhance preventive care strategies.

Individuals experiencing cognitive frailty face an increased risk of developing functional disabilities, although research on prefrail individuals with cognitive impairment remains limited.

A meta-analysis conducted in 2022 highlighted that cognitive frailty is associated with elevated risks of mortality, dementia, disability, hospitalization, and a diminished quality of life.

Among dementia patients, the prevalence of frailty is alarmingly high, ranging from 50.8% to 91.8% in acute care settings and from 24.3% to 98.9% in community-dwelling populations.

It is important to view cognitive frailty as a dynamic condition, which suggests that timely interventions may reverse cognitive decline.

This narrative review synthesizes various studies to investigate the connections between physical frailty and cognitive impairment, employing a systematic search of relevant literature.