Loneliness linked to worse memory performance in older adults, study finds

Feeling lonely may harm older adults’ memory but may not hasten cognitive decline, according to a new study.

In the study published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health, researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 in 12 European countries and found that those who reported high levels of loneliness at the beginning of the study performed worse on memory tests.

But over a seven-year period, memory loss occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.

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Lead author Dr. from Universidad del Rosario Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. “It was a surprising result to find that loneliness significantly affects memory, but does not affect the rate of memory decline over time,” Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria said in a statement.

“This suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.

The findings add to the debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are generally considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results are mixed.

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The study examined data from the long-running European Survey on Health, Aging and Retirement (SHARE), which followed 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. To measure memory performance, participants were asked to recall the words immediately and after a delay.

Social isolation and loneliness may play a surprising role in cognitive health among seniors. (iStock)

Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt lonely, isolated, or lacking in companionship.

Approximately 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at baseline. This group was older, more likely to be female, and more likely to have conditions such as depression.

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The researchers found that those higher in loneliness had lower scores at baseline on both immediate and delayed memory tests. Still, all groups experienced similar declines in memory over time, regardless of loneliness level.

The results suggest that loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, but is linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.

Researchers are looking at a brain scan at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

However, experts warn that the findings should not be interpreted as meaning that loneliness is harmless.

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“The finding that older adults’ memory starts out worse but does not decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, PhD, a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

“This probably means that loneliness does its damage early in life, long before people over 65 participate in a study like this,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.

Caucasian beautiful elderly elderly woman lady grandmother using tablet for surfing social media, e-banking, e-commerce, pension checking, mortgage loan at home (iStock)

He suggested that as we get older, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it difficult to detect when the effects of loneliness first appear.

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“When you measure someone who is in their late 60s, decades-old patterns of social connections are already baked in,” he said.

Weiss, who was not involved in the study, added that loneliness may overlap with other health conditions and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high blood pressure and diabetes. He said the link may reflect a range of health risks rather than a direct cause.

The bill would cut through “red tape” and allow seniors to socialize while drinking. (iStock)

Florida-based psychotherapist and author Amy Morin said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it seems.

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“Evidence shows a link between loneliness and cognitive decline, but there is no direct evidence of a cause-and-effect relationship,” he said. “So it is unclear whether loneliness contributes to dementia, although they may go hand in hand.”

Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.

Under current Minnesota law, assisted living facilities face restrictions on serving alcohol during resident events. (iStock)

Staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health, he said.

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“It is important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, grabbing coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in later life.”

Researchers also suggested incorporating loneliness screening into routine cognitive assessments as a way to support healthy aging.

Fox News Digital has reached out to researchers for comment.