Social isolation is associated with this condition

Dementia is a condition that affects over 55 million people worldwide and becomes a greater risk with age. Now new research has found a link between social isolation and dementia, with the condition altering memory-related brain structures in the brain.

The study, published in the journal Neurology, was conducted by researchers from the University of Warwick, the University of Cambridge and Fudan University. They found that people who were isolated had lower gray matter volume in areas of the brain linked to memory and learning.

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Among the more than 460,000 participants they studied (mean age at baseline, 57 years), social isolation was correlated with a 26% increased risk of dementia 12 years later.

Professor Edmund Rolls, who works at the University of Warwick, explained that social isolation does not necessarily equate to loneliness. “There is a difference between social isolation, which is an objective state of low social bonding, and loneliness, which is subjectively perceived social isolation.”

While loneliness was associated with later dementia, once adjusted for depression, these results were irrelevant.

The researchers talked about the importance of maintaining social contacts, especially as people are older and at higher risk of developing dementia. “We emphasize the importance of an environmentally friendly way of reducing the risk of dementia in older adults by ensuring they are not socially isolated. During future pandemic lockdowns, it is important that individuals, particularly older adults, do not experience social isolation,” said co-author Jianfeng Feng, PhD.

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Dementia is a condition that is more common in people over the age of 65. While symptoms can be alleviated with medication and diligent care, it is an irreversible condition, so it’s important for people to keep an eye on possible warning signs. The earlier the disease is detected, the better the chances of a favorable prognosis.