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A lack of socializing may be a major risk factor forneurological disordersin older adults.
New research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, has considered how “social frailty” can be a predictor of dementia.
The study, published in The Journals of Gerontology, looked at data from 851 people over the age of 70 in Sydney’s suburbs who did not have dementia at the time.
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The researchers evaluated social frailty using measures of social support, frequency of social interactions, sense of purpose, engagement in community or volunteer activities, and the individual’s perceived social roles and connectedness, according to a press release.
Based on this analysis, participants were classified as socially frail, pre-frail or non-frail.
Researchers considered levels of social connection among nearly 900 Australian seniors.(iStock)
The participants were followed for over 12 years, undergoing neuropsychological tests every two years to diagnose any new dementia cases.The researchers adjusted for other factors like physical frailty, psychological frailty andhealth history.
The study concluded that social frailty was associated with a higher risk of dementia, with socially frail individuals facing about a 47% increased risk compared to those in the non-frail group.
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In most socially frail people, the factors that were most strongly associated with this risk included low financial and family satisfaction, infrequent social contact and limited participation in social activity.
Study co-author and clinical psychologist Dr.Suraj Samtani, UNSW Sydney postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, emphasized the consequences of aging people lacking in social connections.
“Social isolation is the biggest risk factor for dementia” late in life, the lead researcher said.(iStock)
“In midlife, risk factors likehearing lossand metabolic syndromes like hypertension and diabetes are very important to prevent and manage,” he said in the press release.“But in late life, social isolation is the biggest risk factor for dementia.”
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Annabel Matison noted that the study population was “generally healthy, well-educated and Caucasian.”
While the researchers would like to confirm these findings among a broader group, Matison commented that the strength of the association between socialization and cognitive decline is “noteworthy.”
slow cellular aging.
�depth and consistency” of social connection across a lifetime “matters profoundly.”
“Strong social ties appear to work in the background over many years, building a more resilient body by reducing the chronic, low-grade inflammation that is a key driver of accelerated aging,” he said.
Staying socially engaged and attached to loved ones is key to healthy aging, experts say.(iStock)
�The SuperAging Workbook,” shared several aspects of “super-aging,” including attachments to others.
physical exerciseare also crucial for keeping the brain young and sharp.
The ‘loneliness epidemic’
Multiple studies have shown that loneliness can be hazardous to humans’ health.In fact, a previous Harvard study found that being lonely is as detrimental as smoking 15 cigarettes per day.
onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
U.S.Surgeon General Dr.Vivek Murthy released an updated notice on the loneliness epidemic in September, reporting a growing decrease in social connection, especially amongyoung people.
Americans have fewer friends than ever before, especially among younger groups, the surgeon general warns.(iStock)
Psychiatrist Dr.Daniel Amen, founder of Amen Clinics in California, also commented on the grave impact that loneliness may have on human health.
“The number of friends people have has dropped 40% since 1990,�“Why?We’re more connected online, but we’re more disconnected in person.”
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“Loneliness increasesstress hormones, making you more vulnerable to anxiety and depression, and it’s just bad for you,” he went on.
“When you’re face-to-face with actual people, your brain has to work so much harder, which ultimately is working out your brain.”
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