(MEDICAL NEWS) – As social isolation in the United States has been increasing among older adults, a new study shows a notable link between loneliness and dementia risk, and one that is most striking for Americans who represent a large part of the population.
In the study, published online February 7 in Neurology, researchers found a 3-fold increase in risk of subsequent dementia among lonely Americans younger than 80 years old who would otherwise be expected to have a relatively low risk based on age and genetic risk factors. The study also found that loneliness was associated with poorer executive function – such as a group of cognitive processes including decision-making, planning, cognitive flexibility, and control of attention – and changes in the brain that indicate vulnerability to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
