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Du C, Li X, Li J, Wang W, Dang M, Cheng J, Xu K, Wang J, Chen C, Chen Y, Zhang Z. Leisure activities as reserve mediators of the relationship between loneliness and cognition in aging. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:217. [PMID: 38806497 PMCID: PMC11133303 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02960-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Previous studies have found that loneliness affects cognitive functions in older persons. However, the influence of loneliness on different cognitive fields and the internal mechanism of the relationship are unclear. A total of 4772 older persons aged above 50 years (Mean = 65.31, SD = 6.96, 57.7% female) were included in this study. All the participants completed the characteristics scale, as well as the loneliness scale, leisure activity scale, and cognitive function tests in six domains. The results showed that 17.6% of participants had high loneliness, while 16.7% of participants had low loneliness. Associations were observed between higher levels of loneliness and lower scores in general cognitive ability, memory, and executive functions. Mediation analysis suggested that leisure activities, encompassing mental, physical, and social activities, were associated with cognitive functions in the context of loneliness. These results indicate that leisure activities may play a significant role in the relationship between loneliness and cognitive functions in older adults. The study highlights the importance of considering leisure activities in this demographic to potentially mitigate the adverse cognitive effects associated with loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Research Institute of Intelligent and Complex Systems, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jingyi Li
- CSSC System Engineering Research Institute, Beijing, 100036, China
| | - Wenxu Wang
- School of Systems Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Mingxi Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jiayin Cheng
- Senior 2 Class 6, The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100097, China
| | - Kai Xu
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Jun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA
| | - Yaojing Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
| | - Zhanjun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
- Beijing Aging Brain Rejuvenation Initiative Centre, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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2
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Vaidya N, Marquand AF, Nees F, Siehl S, Schumann G. The impact of psychosocial adversity on brain and behaviour: an overview of existing knowledge and directions for future research. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02556-y. [PMID: 38658773 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02556-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Environmental experiences play a critical role in shaping the structure and function of the brain. Its plasticity in response to different external stimuli has been the focus of research efforts for decades. In this review, we explore the effects of adversity on brain's structure and function and its implications for brain development, adaptation, and the emergence of mental health disorders. We are focusing on adverse events that emerge from the immediate surroundings of an individual, i.e., microenvironment. They include childhood maltreatment, peer victimisation, social isolation, affective loss, domestic conflict, and poverty. We also take into consideration exposure to environmental toxins. Converging evidence suggests that different types of adversity may share common underlying mechanisms while also exhibiting unique pathways. However, they are often studied in isolation, limiting our understanding of their combined effects and the interconnected nature of their impact. The integration of large, deep-phenotyping datasets and collaborative efforts can provide sufficient power to analyse high dimensional environmental profiles and advance the systematic mapping of neuronal mechanisms. This review provides a background for future research, highlighting the importance of understanding the cumulative impact of various adversities, through data-driven approaches and integrative multimodal analysis techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilakshi Vaidya
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Andre F Marquand
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Frauke Nees
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Sebastian Siehl
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Medical Center Schleswig Holstein, Kiel University, Kiel, Germany
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Stratified Medicine (PONS), Institute for Science and Technology of Brain-Inspired Intelligence (ISTBI), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Zhang X, Ravichandran S, Gee GC, Dong TS, Beltrán-Sánchez H, Wang MC, Kilpatrick LA, Labus JS, Vaughan A, Gupta A. Social Isolation, Brain Food Cue Processing, Eating Behaviors, and Mental Health Symptoms. JAMA Netw Open 2024; 7:e244855. [PMID: 38573637 PMCID: PMC11192185 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.4855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Importance Perceived social isolation is associated with negative health outcomes, including increased risk for altered eating behaviors, obesity, and psychological symptoms. However, the underlying neural mechanisms of these pathways are unknown. Objective To investigate the association of perceived social isolation with brain reactivity to food cues, altered eating behaviors, obesity, and mental health symptoms. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional, single-center study recruited healthy, premenopausal female participants from the Los Angeles, California, community from September 7, 2021, through February 27, 2023. Exposure Participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a food cue viewing task. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes included brain reactivity to food cues, body composition, self-reported eating behaviors (food cravings, reward-based eating, food addiction, and maladaptive eating behaviors), and mental health symptoms (anxiety, depression, positive and negative affect, and psychological resilience). Results The study included 93 participants (mean [SD] age, 25.38 [7.07] years). Participants with higher perceived social isolation reported higher fat mass percentage, lower diet quality, increased maladaptive eating behaviors (cravings, reward-based eating, uncontrolled eating, and food addiction), and poor mental health (anxiety, depression, and psychological resilience). In whole-brain comparisons, the higher social isolation group showed altered brain reactivity to food cues in regions of the default mode, executive control, and visual attention networks. Isolation-related neural changes in response to sweet foods correlated with various altered eating behaviors and psychological symptoms. These altered brain responses mediated the connection between social isolation and maladaptive eating behaviors (β for indirect effect, 0.111; 95% CI, 0.013-0.210; P = .03), increased body fat composition (β, -0.141; 95% CI, -0.260 to -0.021; P = .02), and diminished positive affect (β, -0.089; 95% CI, -0.188 to 0.011; P = .09). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that social isolation is associated with altered neural reactivity to food cues within specific brain regions responsible for processing internal appetite-related states and compromised executive control and attentional bias and motivation toward external food cues. These neural responses toward specific foods were associated with an increased risk for higher body fat composition, worsened maladaptive eating behaviors, and compromised mental health. These findings underscore the need for holistic mind-body-directed interventions that may mitigate the adverse health consequences of social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobei Zhang
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Soumya Ravichandran
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
| | - Gilbert C. Gee
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
- California Center for Population Research, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Tien S. Dong
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Hiram Beltrán-Sánchez
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
- California Center for Population Research, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - May C. Wang
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Lisa A. Kilpatrick
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Jennifer S. Labus
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Allison Vaughan
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Arpana Gupta
- Goodman-Luskin Microbiome Center, University of California, Los Angeles
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, University of California, Los Angeles
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, University of California, Los Angeles
- David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles
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Shamay-Tsoory SG, Kanterman A. Away from the herd: loneliness as a dysfunction of social alignment. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae005. [PMID: 38287695 PMCID: PMC10873844 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
The tendency of all humans to experience loneliness at some point in their lives implies that it serves an adaptive function. Building on biological theories of herding in animals, according to which collective movement emerges from local interactions that are based on principles of attraction, repulsion and alignment, we propose an approach that synthesizes these principles with theories of loneliness in humans. We present here the 'herding model of loneliness' that extends these principles into the psychological domain. We hold that these principles serve as basic building blocks of human interactions and propose that distorted attraction and repulsion tendencies may lead to inability to align properly with others, which may be a core component in loneliness emergence and perpetuation. We describe a neural model of herding in humans and suggest that loneliness may be associated with altered interactions between the gap/error detection, reward signaling, threat and observation-execution systems. The proposed model offers a framework to predict the behavior of lonely individuals and thus may inform intervention designs for reducing loneliness intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alisa Kanterman
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
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Zhao A, Balcer LJ, Himali JJ, O’Donnell A, Rahimpour Y, DeCarli C, Gonzales MM, Aparicio HJ, Ramos-Cejudo J, Kenney R, Beiser A, Seshadri S, Salinas J. Association of Loneliness with Functional Connectivity MRI, Amyloid-β PET, and Tau PET Neuroimaging Markers of Vulnerability for Alzheimer's Disease. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 99:1473-1484. [PMID: 38820017 PMCID: PMC11191473 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Background Loneliness has been declared an "epidemic" associated with negative physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes such as increased dementia risk. Less is known about the relationship between loneliness and advanced neuroimaging correlates of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Objective To assess whether loneliness was associated with advanced neuroimaging markers of AD using neuroimaging data from Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants without dementia. Methods In this cross-sectional observational analysis, we used functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI), amyloid-β (Aβ) PET, and tau PET imaging data collected between 2016 and 2019 on eligible FHS cohort participants. Loneliness was defined as feeling lonely at least one day in the past week. The primary fcMRI marker was Default Mode Network intra-network connectivity. The primary PET imaging markers were Aβ deposition in precuneal and FLR (frontal, lateral parietal and lateral temporal, retrosplenial) regions, and tau deposition in the amygdala, entorhinal, and rhinal regions. Results Of 381 participants (mean age 58 [SD 10]) who met inclusion criteria for fcMRI analysis, 5% were classified as lonely (17/381). No association was observed between loneliness status and network changes. Of 424 participants (mean age 58 [SD = 10]) meeting inclusion criteria for PET analyses, 5% (21/424) were lonely; no associations were observed between loneliness and either Aβ or tau deposition in primary regions of interest. Conclusions In this cross-sectional study, there were no observable associations between loneliness and select fcMRI, Aβ PET, and tau PET neuroimaging markers of AD risk. These findings merit further investigation in prospective studies of community-based cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Zhao
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Laura J. Balcer
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health and Ophthalmology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jayandra J. Himali
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Adrienne O’Donnell
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yashar Rahimpour
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charles DeCarli
- Department of Neurology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Mitzi M. Gonzales
- Department of Neurology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hugo J. Aparicio
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaime Ramos-Cejudo
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Kenney
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health and Ophthalmology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alexa Beiser
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sudha Seshadri
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Joel Salinas
- Department of Neurology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- The Framingham Study, Boston, MA, USA
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Social contacts and loneliness affect the own age bias for emotional faces. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16134. [PMID: 36167738 PMCID: PMC9514703 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20220-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals are better at recognizing faces of their own age group (Own Age Bias) but it is unclear whether this bias occurs also for emotional faces and to what extent is affected by loneliness. Young individuals (N = 235) completed an age categorization task on faces of young and old individuals showing neutral, happy, and angry expressions. After a filler task, they categorized as seen or novel the original set of faces intermixed with a new set. Findings showed an Own Age Bias for novel young faces but no evidence that emotion eliminates it. Recognition accuracy was better for emotional faces, but the two factors did not interact. Importantly, low loneliness was linked to an Own Age Bias for novel happy faces. These findings are discussed in the context of current theoretical accounts of the Own Age Bias and of the effects of loneliness on attention and memory.
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Affective Neuroscience of Loneliness: Potential Mechanisms underlying the Association between Perceived Social Isolation, Health, and Well-Being. JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY AND BRAIN SCIENCE 2022; 7:e220011. [PMID: 36778655 PMCID: PMC9910279 DOI: 10.20900/jpbs.20220011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness, or the subjective feeling of social isolation, is an important social determinant of health. Loneliness is associated with poor physical health, including higher rates of cardiovascular disease and dementia, faster cognitive decline, and increased risk of mortality, as well as disruptions in mental health, including higher levels of depression, anxiety, and negative affect. Theoretical accounts suggest loneliness is a complex cognitive and emotional state characterized by increased levels of inflammation and affective disruptions. This review examines affective neuroscience research on social isolation in animals and loneliness in humans to better understand the relationship between perceptions of social isolation and the brain. Loneliness associated increases in inflammation and neural changes consistent with increased sensitivity to social threat and disrupted emotion regulation suggest interventions targeting maladaptive social cognitions may be especially effective. Work in animal models suggests the neural changes associated with social isolation may be reversible. Therefore, ameliorating loneliness may be an actionable social determinant of health target. However, more research is needed to understand how loneliness impacts healthy aging, explore the role of inflammation as a potential mechanism in humans, and determine the best time to deliver interventions to improve physical health, mental health, and well-being across a diverse array of populations.
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