Social Isolation and Loneliness May Shrink Brain in Older Adults, Leading to Reduced Cognitive Function

Maintaining friendships and other social connections may be crucial in keeping a person's brain in shape as they age. A new study conducted in Germany revealed that older adults who are more socially isolated have a greater risk of shrinking their brains compared to those who frequently participate in social activities.

Impact of Isolation on Brain Cognition

Previous neuroimaging studies suggest that socially isolated adults may experience adverse changes in the microstructure of the brain. However, these studies often used small samples without observing the change over time.

Researcher Laurenz Lammer and his colleagues wanted to find out how age is related to the changes in the volume of the neural tissue in the brain's hippocampus region. They wanted to investigate how it connects to social isolation and changes over time. They also tried to understand the role of social isolation in developing atrophy in specific brain regions.

To confirm their theories, the experts analyzed the data obtained from LIFE ADULT, a population-based study by the Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases. This research involves more than 10,000 adult participants between 40 and 79 years of age from Leipzig, Germany. The data used in this 6-year longitudinal neuroimaging research were collected between 2011 and 2014 and from 2017 to 2020.

The participants were asked to complete assessments of social isolation using the Lubben Social Network Scale, while their chronic stress was measured using the Trierer Inventar zum Chronicles Stress (TICS). They underwent assessments of executive functions, processing speed, and working memory for their cognitive performance.

The result of the study reveals that participants who are younger, married, employed, have no migration background, and are not living alone tend to feel less socially isolated. Those who felt more socially isolated at the beginning of the study and those whose isolation increased after six years had smaller volumes of the brain's hippocampus region. These participants also demonstrated poorer performance on the cognitive assessment, particularly on the executive function.

What is Brain Atrophy?

Brain atrophy, also called cerebral atrophy, refers to the loss of brain cells or neurons, which could be focal or generalized. Focal brain atrophy is characterized by damage in one area of the brain, while generalized brain atrophy involves damage that expands to the entire brain.

Losing neurons can lead to decreased connections between the brain cells and reduced brain volume. It can result in problems with thinking, memory, and performance of daily tasks. The greater the loss of neurons, the more impairment the brain will have.

Symptoms of brain atrophy vary from person to person, depending on the specific region of the brain that gets damaged. It generally occurs with various conditions with symptoms, including aphasia, dementia, and seizures.

Some factors can increase a person's likelihood of developing brain atrophy. People with advanced age and a family history of genetic and neurological disorders are more prone to this condition. The chances are also higher for those with head or brain injury and those who practice smoking and heavy drinking.