Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37994532›Full record

ArticleInternational psychogeriatrics2024

Social connections as determinants of cognitive health and as targets for social interventions in persons with or at risk of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders: a scoping review.

Pallavi Joshi, Kyle Hendrie, Dylan J Jester, Dhweeja Dasarathy, Helen Lavretsky, Benson S Ku, Heather Leutwyler, John Torous, Dilip V Jeste, Rajesh R Tampi

Open access · diamondAbstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in International psychogeriatrics, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 35 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
35citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
14.9field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

35 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 54 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
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  19. Ability to Detect Digital Risks: Effects of an Educational Intervention and Dementia Risk Level.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025
    Article
  20. Mapping social determinants of cognitive health in Canada: a scoping review.Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 9 institutions in 1 country.

Pallavi JoshiPsychiatry Department, Banner University Medical Center, and University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Kyle HendriePsychiatry Department, Banner University Medical Center, and University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Dylan J JesterWomen's Operational Military Exposure Network (WOMEN), VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9878-9633
Dhweeja DasarathyVanderbilt School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
Helen LavretskyDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9990-5085
Benson S KuDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Heather LeutwylerDepartment of Physiological Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
John TorousDepartment of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Dilip V JesteGlobal Research Network on Social Determinants of Mental Health and Exposomics, La Jolla, CA, USA.
Rajesh R TampiDepartment of Psychiatry, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3770-4074
University of Arizona · USBeth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · USCreighton University · USEmory University · USResearch Network (United States) · USUniversity of California, Los Angeles · USUniversity of California, San Francisco · USVanderbilt University · USVA Palo Alto Health Care System · US

Funding

FELLOWSHIP IN GERIATRIC MENTAL HEALTHT32MH019934 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI Elizabeth W Twamley · 1994 to 2026
$9.5M
Impact of Neighborhood Characteristics on Conversion to Psychosis among Youth at Clinical High Risk for PsychosisK23MH129684 · NIMH · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Benson Ku · 2022 to 2026
$970k
NIMH NIH HHS K23 MH129684NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH019934
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocial connections have a significant impact on health across age groups, including older adults. Loneliness and social isolation are known risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). Yet, we did not find a review focused on meta-analyses and systematic reviews of studies that had examined associations of social connections with cognitive decline and trials of technology-based and other social interventions to enhance social connections in people with ADRD. STUDY

designWe conducted a scoping review of 11 meta-analyses and systematic reviews of social connections as possible determinants of cognitive decline in older adults with or at risk of developing ADRD. We also examined eight systematic reviews of technology-based and other social interventions in persons with ADRD. STUDY

resultsThe strongest evidence for an association of social connections with lower risk of cognitive decline was related to social engagement and social activities. There was also evidence linking social network size to cognitive function or cognitive decline, but it was not consistently significant. A number of, though not all, studies reported a significant association of marital status with risk of ADRD. Surprisingly, evidence showing that social support reduces the risk of ADRD was weak. To varying degrees, technology-based and other social interventions designed to reduce loneliness in people with ADRD improved social connections and activities as well as quality of life but had no significant impact on cognition. We discuss strengths and limitations of the studies included.

conclusionsSocial engagement and social activities seem to be the most consistent components of social connections for improving cognitive health among individuals with or at risk for ADRD. Socially focused technology-based and other social interventions aid in improving social activities and connections and deserve more research.

Indexed as

Alzheimer DiseaseAgedCognitionHumansQuality of LifeSocial IsolationSocial Workagingdigitallonelinessmarital statuspetsrobots

Identifiers

PMID37994532
PMCPMC11058077
OpenAlexW4388944283

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.