Social Bonds Protect Aging Brains

Summary: Social isolation can potentially harm brain structure and cognitive performance, suggesting an increased risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s dementia.

The study indicates a lack of quality social interaction can lead to a decrease in the hippocampus’s volume, crucial for memory formation and retrieval, and poorer cognitive performance. However, maintaining a strong social network could help preserve brain structure, providing a potential preventive strategy for dementia onset.

The findings underline the importance of targeting those at risk of social isolation with tailored strategies to enhance their social contact.

Key Facts:

1. Social isolation may lead to a decrease in hippocampal volume and poorer cognitive performance, potentially increasing the risk of Alzheimer’s dementia.

2. Individuals with a strong social network may preserve their brain structure and cognitive performance better, suggesting that social contact may help prevent dementia.

3. A correlation was found between increased social isolation and both decreased hippocampal volume and increased cognitive decline, indicating the importance of social contact in maintaining brain health in aging populations.

Social Bonds Protect Aging Brains - Neuroscience News