Older people who have less social contact with others have lower overall brain volume and dementia risk compared to people who have more frequent social contact, according to research published in the journal Jul. 12, 2023. It is possible that the affected brain areas are more likely to be reduced. , published online neurology®Medical Journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
This study does not prove that social isolation causes brain atrophy. Just show the relevance.
Social isolation has become a serious problem for older people. These results suggest that supporting people to initiate and maintain connections with others may be beneficial in preventing brain atrophy and the development of dementia. ”
Toshiharu Ninomiya, Doctor of Medicine; research author, Kyushu University (Fukuoka City)
The study involved 8,896 people without dementia, with an average age of 73 years. They underwent MRI brain scans and medical examinations. To determine social contact, people were asked her one question: How often do you have contact (e.g., meet or talk on the phone) with relatives or friends who do not live with you? Response options were “every day,” “several times a week,” “several times a month,” and “rarely.”
People with the least amount of social contact had significantly lower overall brain volume than those with the most social contact. Total brain volume, the sum of white matter and gray matter, as a percentage of intracranial volume, which includes the brain, meninges, and cerebrospinal fluid, was 67.3% of the total intracranial volume in the least contact group. In the group with the most contact, it was 67.8%. There was also a decrease in volume in brain regions involved in memory and affected by dementia, such as the hippocampus and amygdala.
The researchers also took into account other factors that can affect brain volume, such as age, diabetes, smoking, and exercise.
Socially isolated people also had more damage to small areas of the brain called white matter lesions than people who had more frequent social contact. The proportion of intracranial volume composed of white matter lesions was 0.30 in the socially isolated group versus 0.26 in the most socially connected group.
Researchers found that symptoms of depression partially explained the relationship between social isolation and brain volume. However, depressive symptoms accounted for only 15–29% of the association.
“While this study is a snapshot in time and does not conclude that social isolation causes brain atrophy, exposing older adults to socially stimulating groups stopped their brain volume from decreasing. It may even be reversed, as some studies have shown that thinking and memory skills improve.” “It may be possible to prevent dementia, which is a common disease,” Ninomiya said.
This study only included older Japanese participants, so a limitation is that the results may not be generalizable to other ethnicities or young people.
This research was supported by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development and Suntory Holdings Limited.
sauce:
American Academy of Neurology
Reference magazines:
Walter, A.E., and Sandsmark, D. (2023). The importance of social contact for brain atrophy in the elderly. neurology. doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207720.