loneliness associated with brain shrinkage?

2023-07-18 10:00:00

Japanese researchers have found that those with the least social contact have significantly lower overall brain volume.

Par Johanna Amselem

Older people who have few social contacts may be more likely to have brain volume loss in areas of the brain affected by dementia.
© JIMMY BEUNARDEAU / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP

Published on 07/18/2023 at 12:00 p.m.

PMore than 55 million people worldwide have dementia, according to figures from the World Health Organization. In 60 to 70% of cases, Alzheimer’s disease is the cause. But this term covers several diseases that affect memory, thinking and the ability to perform daily tasks. Currently, dementia is the seventh leading cause of death. If there is no remedy to relieve it, it is important to identify it as early as possible in order to improve the quality of life of patients and their loved ones.

Japanese researchers have studied the brains of people with dementia. According to a study published on July 12, 2023, older people who have little social contact are more likely to have brain volume loss in areas of the brain affected by dementia. These findings have been published online in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the scientific team stresses that these findings do not prove that social isolation causes brain shrinkage, but only reveal an association.

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“Social isolation is a growing problem for older people. These findings suggest that providing support to people to help them establish and maintain relationships with others may be beneficial in preventing brain atrophy and the development of dementia,” study author Toshiharu Ninomiya said. , from Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.

This study was conducted among 8,896 people with an average age of 73 and not suffering from dementia. All have had brain MRIs and various health exams. The researchers wanted to determine the level of social connection of each participant. To do this, they asked the panel the following question: “How often are you in contact with relatives or friends who do not live with you (for example by meeting or talking on the phone)? Everyone was free to answer and could choose from the options “every day”, “several times a week”, “several times a month” or “rarely”.

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White matter lesions

Results ? The researchers found that those with the least amount of social contact had significantly lower overall brain volume. “Total brain volume, or the sum of white and gray matter, as a percentage of total intracranial volume, or the volume inside the skull, including the brain, meninges, and cerebrospinal fluid, was 67.3% in the lowest contact group compared to 67.8% in the highest contact group,” the team reports. Before completing: “The volume of white matter lesions increased significantly with a lower frequency of social contact (0.30% in the lowest frequency group, compared to 0.26% in the frequency group the highest). A lower frequency of social contact was associated with smaller volumes in the temporal lobe, occipital lobe, cingulum, hippocampus, and amygdala. Other factors were taken into account, such as smoking or diabetes.

Importantly, the researchers found that symptoms of depression explained – in part – the relationship between social isolation and brain volumes. However, symptoms of depression accounted for only 15-29% of the association. “Although this study is a snapshot in time and does not determine that social isolation causes brain atrophy, some studies have shown that exposure of older adults to socially stimulating groups halts or even reverses the decline in brain volume. and improved thinking and memory skills,” adds the Japanese researcher.

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