The relation of loneliness and social resources with neuropathology, and cognitive resilience to neuropathology
Year: 2023
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Background Although numerous studies report an association between loneliness and social resources with cognitive decline and dementia risk, the underlying pathways remain to be explored. Thus, we investigated two possible pathways: an association of loneliness and social resources with (i) neuropathology and (ii) with cognitive resilience to neuropathology. Method We examined 792 decedents from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, free of dementia at their initial report of the psychosocial risk factors of interest (loneliness, social activity, social support, social network size); all eligible participants completed ≥2 cognitive evaluations and had a postmortem neuropathology evaluation. First, we examined the associations between each psychosocial factor and nine neurodegenerative and vascular neuropathologies, using linear or logistic regression models. Second, we assessed the associations between each psychosocial factor and two cognitive resilience (CR) measures. The measures quantify how late‐life cognitive levels (CR) and cognitive decline (CRSlope) differ from what is expected, given the profile of neuropathology. All models controlled for sex, education, age at death, and medical comorbidities. Result We found few associations between each psychosocial factor and all nine individual neuropathologies; for example, greater loneliness was not associated with higher global AD pathology (estimated mean difference [MD] for each one‐unit increment in loneliness score = 0.002, 95%CI = ‐0.07,0.07, P = .9), while more social engagement was associated with less global AD pathology (social activity: MD = ‐0.03, 95%CI = ‐0.11,0.05, P = .5; social support: MD = 0.05, 95%CI = ‐0.02,0.11, P = .2). However, we found strong associations between higher degree of loneliness with worse CR (MD = ‐0.25, 95%CI = ‐0.37,‐0.14, P<.0001) and CRSlope (MD = ‐0.23, 95%CI = ‐0.34,‐0.11, P = .0002). In addition, greater participation in social activities was associated with better CR (MD = 0.24, 95%CI = 0.12,0.36, P = .0001) and CRSlope (MD = 0.13, 95%CI = 0.01,0.25, P = .04). There was no relationship between social support or social network and CR. Conclusion These findings suggest that loneliness and social activity in late life are not directly associated with the accumulation of neuropathologies but may be associated with resilience to neuropathologies.
Source: Alzheimer s & Dementia
DOI: 10.1002/alz.074119
Authors: Maude Wagner, Robert S. Wilson, Patricia A Boyle, Sue E. Leurgans, Julie A Schneider, David A. A Bennett, Francine Grodstein, Ana W. Capuano
Institutions: Rush University Medical Center, Université de Bordeaux
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4390192159