Healthy living
Mind matters
Loneliness linked to Alzheimer's
Older people who say they feel very lonely could be at more than double the normal risk of developing dementia
A new US study followed more than 800 elderly people over a four-year period. The subjects were assessed annually for levels of loneliness on a scale of 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating increased levels of loneliness.
Researchers asked the volunteers how much they agreed with a number of statements such as 'I often feel abandoned' and 'I miss having a really good friend', the greater their level of agreement the greater their loneliness.
At the beginning of the study, published in Archives of General Psychiatry, none of the 823 individuals showed signs of dementia but during the follow up 76 developed Alzheimer's disease. It was discovered that the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's increased by about 51 percent for each point on the loneliness score.
Although social isolation has previously been linked to the development of dementia, this is the first time that researchers have looked into the link with how lonely people felt themselves to be.
Study leader Professor Robert Wilson said, "We need to be aware that loneliness doesn't just have an emotional impact but a physical impact."
About one in 20 people over the age of 65 develop dementia. Most cases are the result of Alzheimer's disease which causes the brain to shrink and the number of nerve fibres in the brain to gradually reduce.
Tiny deposits or 'plaques' also form throughout the brain. It is not known why these changes occur, nor exactly how they cause dementia.
"It is interesting that the people who died during the study and had demonstrated symptoms of dementia did not have relatively more physical signs of Alzheimer's disease in the brain" says Dr Susanne Sorensen head of research at the Alzheimer's Society.
"More research is needed to understand the exact link between loneliness and dementia symptoms. Leisure activities may help the brain keep a 'reserve' capacity capable of delaying the onset of the clinical symptoms of dementia.
"Remaining socially active, eating a healthy diet and exercising as we get older is all good for our quality of life. Further research may reveal this could also prove a crucial tool in protecting us from developing dementia."
Vaccine tests
At present there is no medicine that will reverse the symptoms but there are drugs that are used to slow progression of the disease.
New research is being carried out on a patch which delivers a vaccine against Alzheimer's through the skin. Previous trials of injectable vaccines have encountered safety problems. However the patch, which is being developed in the US, has been shown to be safe and effective, and researchers have found that it was able to clear brain-damaging plaques in mice.
Clive Ballard, director of research at the Alzheimer's Society said: "There has been tremendous interest about developing a vaccine to treat Alzheimer's disease.
"Although side effects have been a problem in initial human vaccine studies, this new study is potentially very exciting. The prospect of a practical and non-invasive vaccine delivered through this new method is particularly welcome.
“However, more research and evaluation is now needed to investigate whether it is a safe and effective method to deliver the vaccine in humans.”
Information on this site is for interest only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should consult your own doctor about any specific health concerns.