A new study finds loneliness increases the risk of dementia in the elderly by more than 30% and general cognitive impairment by 15%.
In today’s Vital Signs, KERA’s Sam Baker explores why and how with Dr. Anna Tseng, a neurologist with Texas Health Dallas.
TSENG: This study, first of all, is a meta-analysis, a compilation of several studies. They used a questionnaire to establish whether the individual felt lonely or not. It's called the UCLA Loneliness Scale. The questions involve things like lack of companionship, whether the person felt left out, and whether the person felt isolated from others.
BAKER: Why would those items put someone at greater risk for cognitive decline or dementia?
There have been numerous studies that have looked at those individuals who reported they felt isolated and that looked at the neurobiology behind it.
We're speaking about neurotransmitters, different hormones, and there have been some studies, as well, looking at imaging. So, imaging from the standpoint of was there any structural changes in the brain.
And then also looking at functional studies. So, in other words, these functional studies looked at whether or not the connections of the brains did change.
And there have been several of these studies done over time. And it does show that it does make a difference, that the characteristic of loneliness does result in some changes in those neurotransmitters, and in their hormones. And then also just in the actual function of the brain.
Is this just from lack of social engagement?
That's a huge part of it. You know, when you talk about personality traits or characteristics, it's hard to really hone it into one thing.
I did see a study also looking at whether this is a genetic trait because some people do prefer to be more isolated than others. So it takes a combination, as they say, always nature and nurture. You know, what are you born with and then what environment you're being surrounded by to basically have the final outcome.
I realize there's a great deal we don't know about what actually will cause dementia or cognitive decline. So, to people wondering what can I do to avoid or prevent this, what do you tell them?
Everyone is born with a certain set of genes and you can't really change those. However, the environment that you live in, where you come forward with those genes can make an actual difference. So up to 40 to 50% of the risk factors that lead to dementia, people can actually do something about them.
Loneliness is actually one of those factors that it comes down to three major things:
- Maintain physical health.
- Maintain social engagement, and this is where the loneliness factor comes in.
- Maintain cognitive stimulation of some sort.
Pay attention to those three things and make sure you do what you can to actually stimulate yourself in all of those arenas.
People ask all the time, "Should I be playing these games?" "Should I be doing this task or that task?"
I try to make it as simple as possible and say, find something fun that you want to learn that you've never done before. Make it easy. Don't make it feel like it's homework. Make it something fun to do. But just the sheer fact that you're trying can be very helpful stimulation for the brain.
RESOURCES:
Loneliness linked to increased risk of dementia, cognitive decline: study
Social isolation and dementia risk
The Impact of Loneliness and Social Isolation on Cognitive Aging: A Narrative Review
