Social network size and cognitive decline in older adults experiencing depressive symptoms and loneliness.

IF 2.4 3区医学 Q3 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Aging & Mental Health Pub Date : 2025-10-09 DOI:10.1080/13607863.2025.2566292

Pankaja Desai, Ted K S Ng, Kristin R Krueger, Robert S Wilson, Denis A Evans, Kumar B Rajan

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objectives: This paper evaluates the association between social network size and cognitive decline in older adults, approximately 61 years and older, with or without depressive symptoms and/or loneliness.

Method: This study is a secondary data analysis of the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP), which is a population-based cohort study. Data collection occurred in three-year cycles from 1993 to 2012, consisting of a maximum of up to six cycles, including baseline. Mixed effects regression models were conducted to evaluate the relationship between social network size and cognitive decline.

Results: The study sample is comprised of 10,569 participants. Among participants experiencing baseline loneliness, having a social network size of nine or more individuals at baseline was associated with a slower annual rate of global cognitive decline (β = 0.016 (SE = 0.007), p = 0.019) than participants with a network size below nine at baseline. Participants experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms at baseline and a network size of nine or more at baseline also had a slower rate of global cognitive decline (β = 0.014 (SE = 0.006), p = 0.014) compared to participants with a network size below nine at baseline.

Conclusion: Developing approaches for maintaining and improving social network size in individuals experiencing loneliness and depression may reduce Alzheimer's disease risk.

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经历抑郁症状和孤独的老年人的社会网络大小和认知能力下降。

目的：本文评估社会网络大小与老年人认知能力下降之间的关系，大约61岁及以上，有或没有抑郁症状和/或孤独。方法：本研究是芝加哥健康与老龄化项目（CHAP）的二次数据分析，这是一项基于人群的队列研究。从1993年至2012年，数据收集以三年为一个周期进行，包括基线在内最多可达6个周期。采用混合效应回归模型评估社会网络规模与认知能力下降之间的关系。结果：研究样本由10,569名参与者组成。在经历基线孤独感的参与者中，与基线社交网络规模低于9人的参与者相比，基线社交网络规模为9人或9人以上的参与者全球认知能力下降的年速度较慢（β = 0.016 (SE = 0.007), p = 0.019）。与基线时网络规模小于9的参与者相比，基线时经历中度至重度抑郁症状和基线时网络规模为9或更多的参与者整体认知能力下降的速度也较慢（β = 0.014 (SE = 0.006), p = 0.014）。结论：开发维持和改善孤独和抑郁个体社会网络规模的方法可能降低阿尔茨海默病的风险。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Aging & Mental Health 医学-精神病学

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

2.90%

发文量

176

审稿时长

4-8 weeks

期刊介绍： Aging & Mental Health provides a leading international forum for the rapidly expanding field which investigates the relationship between the aging process and mental health. The journal addresses the mental changes associated with normal and abnormal or pathological aging, as well as the psychological and psychiatric problems of the aging population. The journal also has a strong commitment to interdisciplinary and innovative approaches that explore new topics and methods. Aging & Mental Health covers the biological, psychological and social aspects of aging as they relate to mental health. In particular it encourages an integrated approach for examining various biopsychosocial processes and etiological factors associated with psychological changes in the elderly. It also emphasizes the various strategies, therapies and services which may be directed at improving the mental health of the elderly and their families. In this way the journal promotes a strong alliance among the theoretical, experimental and applied sciences across a range of issues affecting mental health and aging. The emphasis of the journal is on rigorous quantitative, and qualitative, research and, high quality innovative studies on emerging topics.