Depression is a mental health condition characterized by a persistently low mood or a loss of interest in activities, which can severely impact daily life. Various factors, including biological, psychological, and social sources of distress, can cause depression.
Recent studies suggest these factors may alter brain function, particularly affecting certain neural circuits.
A study from University College London (UCL) and other institutions found that loneliness is a significant factor in depression among older people, responsible for 18% of cases. The researchers demonstrated that subjective experiences of loneliness contributed to depression up to 12 years later, regardless of more objective measures of social isolation.
This finding suggests that nearly one in five depression cases among older adults could be prevented if loneliness were addressed.
Loneliness is defined as a feeling of sadness or distress due to a mismatch between the amount of social connection a person desires and the amount they actually have. In this study, researchers reviewed data from 4,211 participants aged 52 and over.
These participants answered questions at regular intervals over 12 years about their experiences of loneliness, social engagement, social support, and depressive symptoms.
To measure loneliness, participants were asked about lacking companionship, feeling left out, and feeling isolated. Their answers were combined into a loneliness score on a seven-point scale.
The study found that each one-point increase on this loneliness scale corresponded to a doubling of the odds of developing depression.
The researchers took into account the levels of depression and loneliness at the start of the study to minimize the possibility that initial depression was causing increased feelings of loneliness.
Their findings showed that depressive symptoms increased over time among those with greater loneliness, indicating that loneliness was a precursor to future depression.
As part of their analysis, the researchers determined that 18% of depression cases could be attributed to loneliness. This emphasizes the importance of addressing loneliness as a means to prevent depression in older adults.
The researchers suggest that interventions such as social prescribing, social skills training, and psychological therapies targeting negative feelings of loneliness could significantly benefit the mental health of lonely older adults.
If you care about health, please read studies that scientists find a core feature of depression and this metal in the brain strongly linked to depression.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about drug for mental health that may harm the brain, and results showing this therapy more effective than ketamine in treating severe depression.
This study was led by Dr. Gemma Lewis and published in The Lancet Psychiatry.
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