February 19, 2025
Social engagement helps to keep the brain in good working order, a wealth of evidence suggests. Now a new study shows just how beneficial social activities can be. It found that among older adults who developed dementia or other serious memory problems, those who regularly engaged in social activities like visiting friends, going to parties, dining out, attending church, traveling or playing bingo developed memory impairments, on average, five years later than their less socially active peers.
The findings, published online in the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia, suggest that regular social activity may help to prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia in old age.
“This study is a follow up on previous papers from our group showing that social activity is related to less cognitive decline in older adults,” said study author Bryan James, associate professor of internal medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
“In this study, we show that social activity is associated with a decreased risk of developing dementia and mild cognitive impairment,” a serious brain disorder that often leads to full-blown Alzheimer’s disease. “The least socially active older adults developed dementia an average of five years before the most socially active,” Dr. James said.
For the study, the researchers followed 1,923 older men and women who were free of Alzheimer’s or other serious memory problems. Their mean age was 80, and they were recruited from retirement and subsidized housing facilities near Chicago.
The researchers looked at six main types of social activity to get a general sense of how socially engaged the participants were. They included: (1) going to restaurants, sporting events, off-track betting, or playing bingo; (2) going on day trips or overnight trips; (3) doing unpaid community or volunteer work; (4) visiting at relatives’ or friends’ houses; (5) participating in group activities; and (6) attending church or religious services.
Participants rated how often they engaged in each of the six activities during the past year on a five-point scale: (1) once a year or less; (2) several times a year; (3) several times a month; (4) several times a week; or (5) every day or almost every day.
Those in the study also underwent annual tests of memory and thinking skills. During an average follow-up period of nearly seven years, 545 of the participants developed Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, while 695 were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.
The researchers found that among those who developed dementia, the least socially engaged developed it around age 87. That was about five years earlier than the most socially engaged, who developed dementia around age 92. They found a similar five-year age difference among those who developed mild cognitive impairment.
The authors considered other variables that could affect brain health, including levels of physical activity and other medical conditions. They calculated that frequent social activity is associated with a 38 percent reduction in dementia risk and a 21 percent reduction in mild cognitive impairment risk, compared to low levels of social activity.
Social activity was also tied to a three-year longer lifespan, and an estimated $500,000 in lifetime health care savings for each person who would eventually develop dementia.
Social activity can strengthen neural circuits in the brain, making them more resistant to the brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease. “Social activity challenges older adults to participate in complex interpersonal exchanges, which could promote or maintain efficient neural networks in a case of ‘use it or lose it,’” Dr. James said.
Other studies have found that older adults who reported feeling lonely have triple the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia than their more socially connected peers. The findings underscore the importance of social connection and stimulation in helping to keep the brain in good working form.
Experts say that nobody should blame themselves for feeling lonely and that there are various measures that may help to foster social connections and mitigate feelings of loneliness. Among them:
- The internet and social media offer ways to connect. Groups like Meetup.com can be a way to connect with others who have similar interests or life experiences, either in person or virtually. Online and in-person support groups are also widely available.
- Organizations like Road Scholar and Discover Corps, as well as many cruise and tour outfits, offer travel opportunities for older adults. Many trips are geared to single travelers, offering the opportunity to meet new people and travel with others.
- Groups like Senor Corps, AARP, and local food banks, charity thrift shops and animal shelters offer volunteer opportunities for older adults.
- Community centers, libraries and other organizations offer group visits to museums, crafts and art courses, music and singing programs, sporting events, and other activities.
- Local Y’s 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 the brain.
- Finally, 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 or family member – today. Chances are, you will both end up feeling better, and your brain may thank you in the long run.
By ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by Eric Schmidt, Ph.D. Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.
Source: Yi Chen, Francin Grodstein, Ana W. Capuano, et al: “Late-life social activity and subsequent risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment.” Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, December 27, 2024
