The Greater the Sense of Loneliness Among Older Adults - the Higher the Risk of Cognitive Impairment

The Greater the Sense of Loneliness Among Older Adults - the Higher the Risk of Cognitive Impairment

July 3, 2026

Lianhe Zaobao

Senior Features Correspondent: Chen Yingzhen

A person can enjoy being alone, while someone surrounded by family and friends may still feel lonely. Regardless of the reason, feelings of loneliness may lead to a more rapid decline in the physical and mental health of older adults.

A study published last month showed that, compared with social isolation, feelings of loneliness have a greater impact on the physical and mental health of older adults.

A research team from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) analyzed data from 175,000 people aged 50 and above, including how often they felt lonely and how frequently they interacted with others. The results showed that feelings of loneliness were associated with a higher risk of cognitive impairment and death.

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For every 10% increase in the frequency of feeling lonely, the risk of developing severe cognitive impairment increased by 8–9%. Among those who initially had no cognitive impairment, the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment also increased.

The study also found that social isolation by itself, without accompanying feelings of loneliness, was not significantly associated with cognitive decline, and its association with a shorter lifespan was also relatively weak.

In its report on the study, the UC Davis website quoted the study's lead author, Tomiko Yoneda (Assistant Professor of Psychology at UC Davis), who emphasized that loneliness is different from isolation: loneliness is a feeling, and a person may feel lonely even when surrounded by a crowd; isolation refers to being alone, and some people may feel perfectly comfortable by themselves without experiencing any loneliness.

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Another finding of the study was that people who felt lonely more frequently were 3% less likely than those who felt lonely less often to recover from mild cognitive impairment to a state of having no cognitive impairment. In addition, people who felt lonelier were also more likely to experience cognitive decline.

In other words, alleviating feelings of loneliness is an important strategy for reversing mild cognitive impairment or preventing cognitive decline from worsening.

The researchers suggested that people concerned about cognitive decline should take the initiative to strengthen connections with those around them and promote their social well-being. In addition, hospitals and care institutions can adopt screening tools that help identify the degree of loneliness. Communities should also create more opportunities for older adults to interact with others, helping them develop a sense of belonging.

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The above research report 

( https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2027-84465-001 )

was published on June 15 in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP), published by the American Psychological Association.

Translated by ChatGPT