- A major European study indicates that loneliness impacts initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the rate of memory decline over time.
- The research, which followed over 10,000 individuals aged 65 to 94 across 12 countries for seven years, found that participants reporting high levels of loneliness performed worse on memory tests at the beginning of the study.
- However, the rate of memory deterioration for lonely individuals over the seven-year period was similar to that observed in participants who did not feel lonely.
- Dr Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria, the lead author, suggested that loneliness primarily influences the initial state of memory rather than its progressive decline.
- Despite these findings, Alzheimer's Society experts emphasise that social isolation remains a modifiable risk factor for dementia, as social engagement helps build brain resilience.
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