Loneliness, social isolation, traumatic life events, and risk of alzheimer's dementia

Abstract

Context: Alzheimer's disease, an affliction of old age, is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Vascular risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, type II diabetes, and obesity have been widely implicated in the pathogenesis of dementia. Environmental factors such as social isolation, loneliness, and traumatic life events, though less studied, have been associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Aim: We aimed to find out if loneliness, social isolation, and traumatic life events are risk factors for Alzheimer's dementia (AD). Materials and Methods: This was a case–control study based on 100 patients selected for the study using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (Kashmiri version) and diagnosed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria for dementia of the Alzheimer's type. Patients having “mild degree of impairment” on MMSE (Kashmiri version) were taken up for the study. Patients were assessed using De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (eleven items), Lubben Social Network Scale, and Traumatic Life Events Checklist. Results: Loneliness is associated with an increased risk of developing AD. Social isolation acts as a proxy indicator of loneliness. The number of traumatic events is not associated with an increased risk of developing AD. However, death of a child was associated with an increased risk of developing AD (P = 0.033). Conclusion: Loneliness is a robust risk factor for dementia and as such more research needs to focus on it so that suitable cognitive behavioral interventions may be developed and refined to help the vulnerable population.