The study review analyzed reports of loneliness and neurological health from more than 600,000 people; The problem is considered a public health problem, but it can be avoided
Feeling alone inside old age it increases the risk of developing dementia by 31% and increases the likelihood of impaired cognitive functions, such as memory and concentration, by 15%. And the which finds a review of studies that have analyzed the self-assessments of loneliness and the neurological health of over 600 thousand people. The results were published in the journal in October Nature Mental Health.
Loneliness is increasingly being studied as a public health problem. This is because there is growing evidence that a lack of social connection is associated with several diseases. In the new research – conducted by scientists at the Florida State University School of Medicine in the US – this was a risk factor for dementia from all causes, including Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
The association persisted even when control changes were made depressionsocial isolation and other modifiable risk factors for these conditions. “These findings highlight the importance of further examining the type of loneliness and cognitive symptoms to develop effective interventions that reduce the risk of dementia,” the authors write in the article.
Loneliness x social isolation
Loneliness and social isolation are different things. Social isolation occurs when a person does not have a support network: they live alone, have no family, friends or a nearby community to interact and socialize with. Loneliness, in turn, is a feeling that can arise even if the individual has a social life.
“A person may live in a nursing home full of elderly people and surrounded by professionals, but feel alone because they are not supported or understand that they are not receiving the emotional support they need. Or they may live in a home with their family, but you feel alone because you don’t receive attention”, explains geriatrician Thaís Ioshimoto, of the Israelite Albert Einstein Hospital.
There are also differences between cognitive impairment and dementia. According to Ioshimoto, cognitive impairment occurs when a person begins to have problems involving their brain functions: their memory begins to fail, they have difficulty carrying out a daily task, they cannot remember words, they have speech or speech problems. comprehension. “Everyone has some degree of cognitive deterioration with age, but these are mild and should not affect daily activities,” the doctor notes.
When this impairment begins to impact daily activities, it could be an indication of dementia. This is the case, for example, of a person who can no longer go to the bank alone or does not remember to take their medications.
According to Yoshimoto, social interaction stimulates different regions of the world. brain. “Most likely, loneliness worsens cognitive impairment due to the lack of interaction with other people, as well as the feeling of not feeling supported,” he analyzes.
Care and inclusion
The good news is that it is a modifiable risk factor and, therefore, there are several actions that can be taken to reduce the risk of dementia.
The most important thing is the old known formula: have a diet healthy, practical physical activity regularly and maintain social interactions. But there are also other preventive behaviors: reduce exposure to pollutionprevent hearing loss, have a school and non-school education smoke are some of them.
According to Einstein’s geriatrician’s assessment, the results of the new study are important because the world’s population is getting older and it is necessary to create care and social inclusion strategies for older people as a way to avoid ageism (which is a prejudice based on an individual’s age) and prevent the development of dementia.
“We often stop interacting with the elderly because it is difficult, because they don’t hear well, because understanding is slower, because we have to be more patient. Often they will feel more alone because we isolate the elderly from social life. “, underlines Thaís Ioshimoto. “We live in a society that does not value the elderly and leaves them marginalized. We must work on a culture of inclusion.”
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
