ArticleThe journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences2020
Loneliness, Social Integration, and Incident Dementia Over 6 Years: Prospective Findings From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.
Article in The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 122 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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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
122 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Community-based mental health and well-being interventions for older adults in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC geriatrics · 2022Pooled it
- Association between loneliness and dementia risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2022Pooled it
- Trial
- Loneliness and Plasma Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses.The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry · 2026Article
- Sensory Difficulty, Social and Physical Activity, and Dementia Risk Among Older Adults.Journal of aging and health · 2026Article
- Cognitive Engagement and Dementia Risk: A Dose-Response Comparison of Nursing Home and Community Residents.Journal of applied gerontology : the official journal of the Southern Gerontological Society · 2026Article
- Prevalence of loneliness and its associated factors in middle-aged and older adults with breathlessness: a nationally representative cohort study.BMJ open respiratory research · 2026Article
- Association between hearing aid use and cognitive function among Chinese middle-aged and older adults with hearing impairment: the mediating effect of social activity.Journal of global health · 2026Article
- A scoping review of generative AI and digital twins in tackling loneliness during hospital-to-home transitions.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Review
- Association Between Self-Reported Sleep Quality and Conversion From Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.Brain and behavior · 2025Article
- Exploring the influence of loneliness on cognitive decline: differential effects in Black and White older adults.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2025Article
- The relationship between social isolation, depressive symptoms and cognitive function in older adults: a longitudinal mediation study in China.Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology · 2025Article
- Dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, polyunsaturated fats, and fish and positive psychological well-being in older adults: A cross-sectional analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).British journal of health psychology · 2025Article
- Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Cognitive Health.Clinics in geriatric medicine · 2025Review
- The Psychology of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Later Life.Clinics in geriatric medicine · 2025Review
- Cumulative loneliness and memory function among U.S. older adults: the role of depressive symptoms.The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences · 2025Article
- Results of a multi-perspective examination of loneliness trajectories and its determinants in German adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- "I don't want to make trouble": Emotional Distress, Disconnection, and Loneliness Among Older People in China.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2025Article
- Association of loneliness with healthcare transitions and mortality in older adults in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective cohort study.BMJ open · 2025Article
- Chronic loneliness and longitudinal changes in cognitive functioning.BMC public health · 2025Article
62 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesSocial relationships are important for the maintenance of cognitive function at older ages, with both objective features of social networks and perceived social connections (loneliness) being relevant. There is limited evidence about how different aspects of social experience predict diagnosed dementia.
methodsThe sample comprised 6,677 dementia-free individuals at baseline (2004) from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Baseline information on loneliness, number of close relationships, marital status, and social isolation (contact with family and friends and participation in organizations) was analyzed in relation to incident dementia over an average 6.25 years using Cox regression, controlling for potential confounding factors.
resultsTwo hundred twenty participants developed dementia during follow-up. In multivariable analyses, dementia risk was positively related to greater loneliness (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.80, p = .008), and inversely associated with number of close relationships (p < .001) and being married (p = .018). Sensitivity analyses testing for reverse causality and different criteria for diagnosing dementia confirmed the robustness of these findings. There was no association with social isolation. DISCUSSION: Dementia risk is associated with loneliness and having fewer close relationships in later life. The underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated, but efforts to enhance older peoples' relationship quality may be relevant to dementia risk.
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