Loneliness, especially when combined with social isolation, increases the risk of age-related memory loss, warns a study published by researchers at the University of Waterloo.
Over the six years of the study, adults who reported feeling lonely and having few or no social connections showed the greatest decline in memory, followed by adults who reported only loneliness.
“This means that loneliness has a greater impact on memory than social isolation,” summarized the study’s author, doctoral student Ji Won Kang of the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo.
Researchers at the Ontario university looked at four combinations of social isolation and loneliness and their effects on memory in middle-aged and older adults over a six-year period. These combinations included social isolation and loneliness; social isolation only; loneliness only; and neither.
There are several nuances that are important to grasp in order to fully understand the conclusions of this study, Mr.me Kang: Social isolation is the lack of, objectively, many social relationships, she said. This could be a small social network, not being married, being retired or living alone, or not participating in many social activities.
Loneliness, in comparison, is a subjective perception of lack of social relationships.
So you can be socially isolated without being lonely. However, as we have realized during the pandemic, you can be lonely while being socially connected.
“You can have many relationships and friendships, but still feel alone when interacting with others,” M said.me Kang.
People who are socially isolated, the researcher said, may be combating memory decline by engaging in activities that stimulate them intellectually, such as reading or hobbies that exercise their neurons.
Epidemic of loneliness
Different mechanisms may explain this association between loneliness and memory decline, M said.me Kang.
“Loneliness is associated with chronic or prolonged stress,” she said. “And stress can release hormones like cortisol. It can also activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. [qui contrôle la réponse au stress]. And that causes a lot of damage to the neurons and the synaptic connections that contribute to memory.”
Seniors in the single-person category often have lower incomes than other groups and may face structural barriers and health issues that prevent them from connecting with their communities, the study authors noted. One solution could be to implement transportation or home-visit programs to address societal issues that make them more isolated.
The United States’ Surgeon General, Dr.r Vivek Murthy warned last year of what he called an “epidemic” of loneliness, noting that “loneliness and isolation increase people’s risk of developing mental health problems later in life, and lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death to levels comparable to daily smoking.”
Specifically, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advisory says, the physical health consequences of a lack of or inadequate social connections include a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease, a 32 percent increased risk of stroke, and a 50 percent increased risk of developing dementia in older adults. In addition, a lack of social connections increases the risk of premature death by more than 60 percent.
The findings of the new study were published in the journal Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics.