Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe: an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Abstract

Background: Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most relevant risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the effect on specified cognitive domains has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loneliness on the trajectory of memory over a six-year period among older adults. Methods: Longitudinal analysis using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Older adults aged 65 years and older participated in all three waves (waves 5, 6, and 8) of SHARE, and had complete data on loneliness assessment at baseline (wave 5) were included. The effect of loneliness on memory trajectories was assessed through a multilevel growth modelling approach. Results: A total of 10217 participants aged 65 to 94 years. Participants with high loneliness at baseline demonstrated significantly lower immediate and delayed recall scores than those with low or average loneliness (−0.24 and −0.21, respectively). However, loneliness did not influence the rate of decline in memory scores over the follow-up period. Conclusion: Loneliness is associated with lower initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the decline in memory function over time.