New research led by Florida State University College of Medicine faculty quantified the link between loneliness and dementia by analyzing data from more than 600,000 people around the world; the largest study of its kind.
The meta-analysis of 21 longitudinal studies found that experiencing feelings of loneliness increased the risk of developing dementia by 31%. The research was published in Nature mental health.
“These results are not surprising given the mounting evidence linking loneliness to poor health,” said Assistant Professor Martina Luchetti, who led the study. “Dementia is a spectrum, with neuropathological changes beginning decades before clinical onset. It is important to continue to study the association between loneliness and various cognitive outcomes or symptoms across this spectrum. Loneliness – the dissatisfaction with social relationships – may influence on how you function cognitively and in daily life.”
The analysis found that loneliness is a major risk factor for cognitive impairment, regardless of age or gender. It also linked loneliness to specific causes of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive impairment that can occur before a diagnosis.
The team’s work was spurred by the World Health Organization and the US Surgeon General, who declared loneliness a public health crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and related social restrictions.
There is a lot of interest in the health consequences of loneliness. It is important to understand why and under what circumstances the risk of dementia increases later in life.”
Martina Luchetti, Assistant Professor, Florida State University College of Medicine
Although the data for the study included subjects from all over the world, most of it was collected from people in wealthier cultures in the Western Hemisphere. Future research should include more data from other countries, Luchetti said.
“We know that there are increasing cases of dementia in low-income countries,” she said. “Future studies should collect more data from those countries to evaluate the effects of loneliness in different national and cultural contexts.”
The results of the meta-analysis provide information that can guide future prevention and intervention efforts.
“Now that there is solid evidence of a link, it is critical to identify the sources of loneliness to prevent or manage loneliness and support the well-being and cognitive health of older adults,” Luchetti said.
The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Luchetti is an assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine. Her co-authors at FSU were Damaris Aschwanden, a postdoctoral researcher; Amanda Sesker, a postdoctoral researcher; Professor Antonio Terracciano of the Department of Geriatrics and Professor Angelina Sutin of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, all from the FSU College of Medicine. Researchers from Wenzhou Medical University, University of Limerick and University of Montpelier were also co-authors.
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Magazine reference:
Luchetti, M., et al. (2024). A meta-analysis of loneliness and dementia risk using longitudinal data from >600,000 individuals. Nature mental health. doi.org/10.1038/s44220-024-00328-9.