Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Cognitive Health.

Social connectedness is important for maintaining cognitive function and cognitive health in older age. In particular, social isolation (the objective lack of relationships) and loneliness (the subjective perception of lacking social connection) among older adults are important public health challenges that have been linked to increased cognitive decline and dementia risk in many studies. In this review, the authors examine studies of the relationship between these social risk factors and cognitive decline, examine the cognitive impact of interventions targeted toward social disconnection, explore the mechanisms underlying these relationships, and provide clinical recommendations for identifying and targeting social disconnection.