THURSDAY, July 13, 2023 (HealthDay News) — For older adults, lower frequency of social contact is associated with lower total and cognitive function-related regional brain volumes, according to a study published online July 12 in Neurology.

Naoki Hirabayashi, M.D., Ph.D., from Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, and colleagues examined the association between low frequency of social contact and volumes of various brain regions and assessed the extent to which depressive symptoms mediate these associations in a population-based study involving dementia-free community-dwelling Japanese adults aged ≥65 years. A total of 8,896 participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans and comprehensive health assessments.

The researchers found that the multivariable-adjusted mean of the total brain volume was significantly lower in the group with the lowest versus the highest frequency of social contact (67.3 versus 67.8 percent), with a significant increasing trend across the groups. A significant increase was also seen in white matter lesions volume with lower frequency of social contact (0.30 versus 0.26 percent for lowest versus highest frequency groups). Smaller volumes were seen in the temporal lobe, occipital lobe, cingulum, hippocampus, and amygdala in association with lower frequency of social contact. Depressive symptoms partially mediated the relationships, accounting for 15 to 29 percent of the observed associations.

“Social isolation is a growing problem for older adults,” a coauthor said in a statement. “These results suggest that providing support for people to help them start and maintain their connections to others may be beneficial for preventing brain atrophy and the development of dementia.”

One author received grants from Suntory Holdings Limited.

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