New research led by Florida State University has revealed that loneliness significantly increases the risk of developing dementia by 31%. This large-scale study emphasizes the importance of addressing loneliness as a public health concern.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers led by Florida State University College of Medicine have established a clear connection between loneliness and an increased risk of developing dementia. This extensive meta-analysis, encompassing data from over 600,000 people worldwide, is the largest of its kind.
Published in the journal Nature Mental Health, the research indicates that loneliness can increase the risk of dementia by 31%.
“These results are not surprising, given the mounting evidence that links loneliness to poor health,” lead author Martina Luchetti, an assistant professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine at Florida State University College of Medicine, said in a news release. “Dementia is a spectrum, with neuropathological changes that start decades before clinical onset. It is important to continue studying the link of loneliness with different cognitive outcomes or symptoms across this spectrum. Loneliness – the dissatisfaction with social relationships – may impact how you are functioning cognitively, and in daily life.”
The study shows that loneliness is a significant risk factor for cognitive decline irrespective of age or sex. It also connects loneliness to particular causes of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, and cognitive impairments that emerge prior to a formal diagnosis.
Luchetti and her team undertook this research in response to the World Health Organization and the U.S. Surgeon General, who have deemed loneliness a public health crisis in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social restrictions.
“There has been a lot of interest in the consequences of loneliness for health,” Luchetti added. “It is important to understand why and under what circumstances it increases risk for late life dementia.”
Although the study incorporated global data, most information was sourced from individuals in wealthier Western Hemisphere cultures. Luchetti emphasized the necessity for further research to include more data from lower-income nations.
“We know there are rising cases of dementia in low-income countries,” she added. “Future studies need to gather more data from those countries to evaluate what are the effects of loneliness in different national and cultural contexts.”
The findings provide a crucial foundation for future prevention and intervention efforts aimed at mitigating loneliness and its effects on cognitive health in older adults.
“Now that there is solid evidence of an association, it is critical to identify the sources of loneliness to both prevent or manage loneliness and support the well-being and cognitive health of aging adults,” added Luchetti.
The study highlights the urgent need for public health strategies to address loneliness and its implications on cognitive decline. As the largest study to date on the topic, it underscores loneliness as a critical, modifiable risk factor for dementia, calling attention to the global importance of social connections and mental health support, especially in aging populations.