Lack of sociability can be a significant risk factor, including: neurological disorder For elderly people.
A new study from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, Australia, looks at how ‘social frailty’ can be a predictor of dementia.
The study, published in The Journals of Gerontology, looked at data from 851 people aged 70 and over who lived in a Sydney suburb and did not have dementia at the time.
According to a press release, researchers assessed social frailty using measures of social support, frequency of social interactions, sense of purpose, participation in community and volunteer activities, and an individual’s perceived social role and connectedness.
Based on this analysis, participants were classified as socially frail, pre-frail, or non-frail.
Participants were followed for over 12 years and underwent neuropsychological testing every two years to diagnose new cases of dementia. Researchers found that physical frailty, psychological frailty, health history.
The study concluded that social frailty is associated with a higher risk of dementia, with socially frail people facing an approximately 47% higher risk compared to non-frail groups.
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Among most socially vulnerable populations, the factors most strongly associated with this risk included lower economic and family satisfaction, fewer social contacts, and limited participation in social activities.
Study co-author Dr Suraj Samtani, clinical psychologist and postdoctoral fellow at UNSW Sydney at the Center for Healthy Brain Aging, highlighted the impact of older people lacking social connections.
“During midlife, the following risk factors occur: hearing loss “Prevention and management of metabolic syndromes such as high blood pressure and diabetes are extremely important. However, in later life, social isolation is the greatest risk factor for dementia,” he said in a press release.
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In an interview with Fox News Digital, co-author and postdoctoral researcher Dr. Annabel Mattison said the study population was “generally healthy, well-educated, and white.”
Although the researchers would like to confirm these findings in a broader group, Mattison commented that the strength of the association between socialization and cognitive decline is “remarkable.”
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“We hope these findings will raise awareness that lack of social connections, resources and support are risk factors for dementia,” she said. “We encourage seniors to stay socially active with family, friends and neighbors and consider volunteering.”
Another recent study by researchers at Cornell University found that social relationships actually slow cell aging.
Anthony Ong, the study’s lead author and professor of psychology and director of the Human Health Lab at the College of Human Ecology in New York, told Fox News Digital how the “depth and consistency” of social connections across the lifespan is “very important.”
“It appears that strong social bonds have been working in the background for many years, building more resilient bodies by reducing chronic low-grade inflammation, a key factor in accelerated aging,” he said.
In a previous interview with Fox News Digital, Canada-based longevity experts David Cravitt and Larry Wolfe, authors of The SuperAging Workbook, shared several aspects of “.super aging”, including attachments to other people.
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“I’ve been fortunate to be married to the same wonderful woman for almost 60 years,” Wolf said. “Deepening connections with people you love and like and expanding your social network are all extremely important.”
Experts believe that mental and physical exercise It’s also important for keeping your brain young and alert.
Studies have shown that loneliness can be dangerous to human health. In fact, a previous study from Harvard University found that being lonely is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an updated notice on the loneliness epidemic in September, specifically reporting that social connections among people are decreasing. young people.
Psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, founder of the Amen Clinic in California, also commented on the significant impact that loneliness has on human health.
“The number of friends people have has decreased by 40% since 1990,” he said in an earlier interview with Fox News Digital. “Why? We’re more connected online, but more disconnected in person.”
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“I feel more lonely. stress hormone“You’re more prone to anxiety and depression, which is just bad for you,” he continued.
“When you’re face-to-face with real people, your brain has to work harder, and you end up training your brain.”
