Socializing: A prescription for healthier brain aging
Imagine heading to a doctor's office for memory problems and getting a prescription to hang out with friends.
A new study suggests that social engagement could be a prescription for healthier brain aging among seniors. Researchers reported on August 12 in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia that activities like bingo, church gatherings, and movie outings could provide the best supportive medicine for brain function. The study, conducted on over 6,000 seniors, found that higher levels of social engagement were linked to slower brain aging and better cognitive abilities.
The participants, who were part of a U.S. health and aging study, filled out forms assessing participation in nine types of social activities, including marriage, living arrangements, transportation, entertainment outings, club or class participation, religious services, visits to family and friends, paid work, and volunteer work.
Seniors with more active social lives exhibited better memory and cognitive function, with each increase in social engagement leading to greater cognitive benefits. Lead researcher Dr. Cynthia Felix, a postdoctoral associate in psychiatry and geriatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, emphasized that the study provides a biological foundation for social prescribing.
The research could help develop targeted social activities as part of healthy aging and dementia prevention for the estimated 78 million people projected to have dementia by 2030.
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