Loneliness and Risk of Dementia

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective</jats:title> <jats:p>The present study tests whether loneliness is associated with risk of dementia in the largest sample to date and further examines whether the association is independent of social isolation, a related but independent component of social integration, and whether it varies by demographic factors and genetic vulnerability.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Method</jats:title> <jats:p>Participants from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 12,030) reported on their loneliness, social isolation, and had information on clinical, behavioral, and genetic risk factors. Cognitive status was assessed at baseline and every 2 years over a 10-year follow-up with the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICSm). A TICSm score of 6 or less was indicative of dementia.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>Cox proportional hazards regression indicated that loneliness was associated with a 40% increased risk of dementia. This association held controlling for social isolation, and clinical, behavioral, and genetic risk factors. The association was similar across gender, race, ethnicity, education, and genetic risk.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Discussion</jats:title> <jats:p>Loneliness is associated with increased risk of dementia. It is one modifiable factor that can be intervened on to reduce dementia risk.</jats:p> </jats:sec>