A study published in the online issue of Neurology has reported a significant connection between social isolation and brain health.
Social isolation is associated with a decrease in brain volume in regions related to cognition and a 26% increased risk of dementia, separate from risk factors like depression and loneliness.
Research Details
The study, led by Dr. Jianfeng Feng of Fudan University in Shanghai, China, examined 462,619 people in the UK with an average age of 57.
These participants were followed for nearly 12 years before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the participants, 9% (41,886 individuals) reported being socially isolated, and 6% (29,036 individuals) reported feeling lonely. During the study, 4,998 developed dementia.
The research team collected survey data, physical and biological measurements, including MRI data, and conducted cognitive function tests.
For assessing social isolation, participants were asked three questions about their social contact related to cohabitation, visits with friends or family, and participation in social activities.
Individuals who answered “no” to at least two questions were deemed socially isolated.
Outcomes
The study revealed that 1.55% of the socially isolated group (649 individuals out of 41,886) developed dementia, compared to 1.03% in the non-socially isolated group (4,349 individuals out of 420,733).
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, alcohol intake, smoking, and other conditions like depression and loneliness, it was found that socially isolated individuals had lower gray matter volume in various brain regions involved with learning and thinking.
People who were socially isolated were 26% more likely to develop dementia than those who were not socially isolated.
Limitations and Further Research
A limitation of the study was that the participants reported fewer health conditions and were less likely to live alone than the general population, so the results may not apply universally. The researchers recommend further investigation to confirm these findings.
Conclusion
The findings of this research highlight the potential cognitive risks associated with social isolation.
Social isolation could serve as an early warning sign for an increased risk of dementia, underscoring the importance of social connections in maintaining cognitive health.
Further studies are required to translate these insights into preventative strategies for dementia.
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The study was published in Neurology.
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