ArticleJournal of general internal medicine2016
Social Function and Cognitive Status: Results from a US Nationally Representative Survey of Older Adults.
Article in Journal of general internal medicine, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 83 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
83 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 142 citations in OpenAlex.
- Functional social support and cognitive function in middle- and older-aged adults: a systematic review of cross-sectional and cohort studies.Systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Social Support and Cognition: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in psychology · 2021Pooled it
- Addressing the knowledge and recruitment gap in Alzheimer's disease and precision medicine research among Native people: an innovative randomized controlled trial.Ethnicity & health · 2025Trial
- Associations between caregiver mastery and anxiety in persons living with dementia: A study of dyads living in community.Geriatric nursing (New York, N.Y.)Trial
- Assessing the Mediating Roles of Global Sensory Impairment, Social Isolation, and Loneliness in the Association Between Education and Cognitive Function.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2026Article
- The impact of multidimensional mutual-aid care services on social functions: evidence from a case study in China.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Trajectories of Social Activity Engagement and Physical and Cognitive Function During the Last Years of Life.Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · 2026Article
- The association of Alzheimer's disease genetic risk with social connectedness in middle- and older ages.American journal of epidemiology · 2026Article
- Social network structure and composition predicting cognitive impairment: racial/ethnic differences among older adults.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026Article
- Beyond the Block: Social Network Extralocality and Cognitive Function Among U.S. Older Adults.Journal of aging and health · 2026Article
- Social connectedness and healthcare engagement among adults with disabilities: The role of living arrangement.PloS one · 2026Article
- A social engagement technology-based randomized controlled trial for older adults: Outcomes and lessons learned.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2025Article
- Psychosocial Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Social Participation is Associated With Cognitive Performance in Multiple Domains.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2025Article
- Relationship between neuropsychiatric symptoms and social support in older adults with mild behavioral impairment: a moderated mediation model.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Loneliness and depression: the mediating effect of perceived social strain in older adults with diabetes-a cross-sectional study.Psychology, health & medicine · 2025Article
- Exploring the Moderation Effects of Race on the Relationship Among Sex Hormones, Biomarkers, and Psychological Symptoms in Female Older Adults.Clinical nursing research · 2025Article
- Examining Longitudinal Relationships between Social Support and Strain in Relationships with Children and Older Adults' Cognitive Functioning.Journal of health and social behavior · 2025Article
- Cross-Sectional Trajectories of Social Cognition in Later Life: Exploring Emotion Perception, Theory of Mind, and Emotional Empathy.Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists · 2025Article
- Brain Health Attitudes, Awareness and Actions in Middle-Aged Latinos.Journal of immigrant and minority health · 2025Article
- Social functioning in individuals with Alzheimer's disease and the situation of caregivers.Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD · 2025Article
23 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAn early sign of cognitive decline in older adults is often a disruption in social function, but our understanding of this association is limited.
objectiveWe aimed to determine whether those screening positive for early stages of cognitive impairment have differences across multiple dimensions of social function and whether associations differ by gender.
designUnited States nationally representative cohort (2010), the National Social life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP).
participantsCommunity-dwelling adults aged 62-90 years (N = 3,310) with a response rate of 76.9 %. MAIN MEASURES: Cognition was measured using a survey adaptation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment categorized into three groups: normal, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. We measured three domains of social relationships, each comprised of two scales: network structure (size and density), social resources (social support and social strain), and social engagement (community involvement and socializing). We used multiple linear regression to characterize the relationship of each social relationship measure to cognition. KEY
resultsIndividuals screened as at risk for MCI and early dementia had smaller network sizes by 0.3 and 0.6 individuals (p < 0.001), and a 10 % and 25 % increase in network density (p < 0.001), respectively. For social resources, individuals at risk for MCI and dementia had 4 % and 14 % less social strain (p = 0.01), but only women had 3 % and 6 % less perceived social support (p = 0.013), respectively. For social engagement, individuals screened positive for MCI and dementia had 8 % and 19 % less community involvement (p = 0.01), but only men had 8 % and 13 % increased social involvement with neighbors and family members (p < 0.001), respectively.
conclusionChanges in social functioning provide an early indication to screen for cognitive loss. Recognition that early cognitive loss is associated with differences in social function can guide counseling efforts and help identify social vulnerabilities to ease the transition to overt dementia for both patients and caregivers.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.