Are social isolation and loneliness associated with cognitive decline in ageing?

Margalida Cardona; Pilar Andrés

doi:10.3389/fnagi.2023.1075563

Are social isolation and loneliness associated with cognitive decline in ageing?

Front Aging Neurosci. 2023 Feb 23:15:1075563. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1075563. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Margalida Cardona¹, Pilar Andrés^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Neuropsychology and Cognition Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of the Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
² Research Institute (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
³ Research Institute on Health Sciences (IUNICS), Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

Abstract

Objective: Social isolation and loneliness are associated with poor health (immunity, inflammation, etc.) in ageing. The purpose of this scoping review was to investigate the link between social isolation, loneliness (as distinct constructs, in contrast to previous published work) and cognition in cognitively healthy older adults.

Method: We followed PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Our search, conducted between January 2017 and April 2021, yielded 2,673 articles, of which, twelve longitudinal studies were finally identified as meeting the inclusion criteria. Multiple cognitive functions (short-term and episodic memory, attention, and global cognitive functioning) were measured.

Results: The results showed that both social isolation and loneliness were associated with poor cognition in ageing, with depression as a possible mediator between loneliness and poor cognition. Some studies also suggested that the link between social isolation, loneliness and cognitive decline may be bidirectional.

Conclusion: We conclude that both social isolation and loneliness may have a different impact on cognition. While depression may be an important mediator between loneliness and cognitive decline, the lack of cognitive stimulation may be a greater mediator between social isolation and cognitive health.

Keywords: ageing; cognition; cognitive decline; depression; loneliness; social isolation.

Publication types

Systematic Review

Grants and funding

This study was supported by grant REF PSI2016-75484-R funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “ERDF A way of making Europe,” by the “European Union”.