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Loneliness Takes a Toll on the Brain

October 23, 2024

Feeling lonely raises the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in old age, according to a new analysis. The findings add to growing evidence that loneliness and social isolation are bad for the brain.

The report analyzed data from 21 international studies on aging involving more than 608,000 men and women from around the world. Most of the studies asked participants whether they felt lonely some or much of the time, and some ranked the intensity of individuals’ loneliness. Their cognitive health was also tracked over years, and in some cases over decades.

Loneliness was linked to a 15 percent increased risk of general memory and thinking problems, and a 31 percent increased risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, over the long term.

The study, published in the journal Nature Mental Health, is one of the largest analyses of loneliness and brain health to date. The findings “indicate that loneliness is a critically important risk factor in the future development of dementia,” said study author Paraic O’Suilleabhain of the University of Limerick in Ireland.

In addition to cognitive health, “loneliness is critical to future health in a variety of different ways, including our longevity, or how long we live,” he said. Earlier studies have linked loneliness to a higher risk of depression, stroke, heart disease and other ills.

Loneliness is not a small problem. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine has reported that a third of adults 45 and over feel lonely, and nearly a fourth of adults 65 and over are socially isolated. Those numbers have likely only increased since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The findings underscore the importance of social connection and mental stimulation in helping to keep the brain in good working form as we grow older. Experts say it’s important to acknowledge signs of loneliness in ourselves and others, and to work to build and maintain supportive relationships as we age.

The findings also offer important lessons for those caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease. Caregiving can be a stressful and lonely experience. Relationships with others can suffer as the day-to-day demands of caretaking become increasingly consuming. Maintaining social ties and having others you can confide in can help to bring stress levels down and, as this and other studies show, can be good for the brain.

Scientists are unsure why or how loneliness may be linked to dementia. Some speculate that social interaction may help to keep the brain stimulated and help to build connections between brain cells. It is possible that the brains of lonely people may be less able to compensate for the onslaughts of a disease like Alzheimer’s. Causality was not determined in the current study.

The good news is that loneliness can often be addressed by promoting social connection and bonding, noted study leader Martina Luchetti of the College of Medicine at Florida State University in Tallahassee. “Addressing loneliness by promoting a feeling of connectedness could be protective for cognitive health in later life,” she said.

Feeling lonely is only one of many factors that may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Experts say that nobody should blame themselves for feeling lonely, and they suggest various measures that may help to foster social connections and curb feelings of loneliness. Among them:

  • Local Y’s and groups like AARP offer group fitness classes geared to older people that can help to forge friendships. Physical activity helps to diminish stress and is also good for brain health.
  • Community centers often offer courses in painting, crafts, writing, music, dance, gardening, cooking and other activities. Many are tailored to caregivers who often have few chances to connect with others and reap the benefit of mutual support. 
  • Join a book club or schedule a monthly potluck supper gathering.
  • Consider a pet. One recent study in Britain found that older men and women who live alone but who have a pet had fewer memory problems than their solitary peers.
  • The internet and social media offer additional ways to connect. Groups like Meetup.com can be a way to connect with others who have similar interests or life experiences. But experts also warn that social media, with its emphasis on depictions of others having a good time, can also make people who are feeling lonely or isolated feel even worse.
  • Reach out to a neighbor to ask how they are doing and if there’s anything you can assist with. Make a phone call to a friend – today! Chances are, you will both end up feeling better.

By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by Eric Schmidt, PhD, of The Fisher Center lab at The Rockefeller University.

Source: Martina Luchetti, Damaris Aschwanden, Amanda A. Sesker, et al: “A meta-analysis of loneliness and risk of dementia using longitudinal data from more than 600,000 individuals.” Nature Mental Health, October 9, 2024

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