To be lonely is to be “destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship,” according to one dictionary definition.
A recent meta-analysis examining data from over 600,000 people suggests that loneliness increases dementia risk. Those who reported feeling lonely were 31 percent more likely to develop dementia compared to those who didn’t, according to the findings.
“It differs from being alone or isolated,” researchers wrote in the study, published in Nature Mental Health. “People can feel lonely even when with others if the quality or quantity of their social connections does not meet what is needed or desired.”
Key Findings
The researchers analyzed 21 previous studies, with 13 showing a “significant association” between loneliness and dementia risk. The analysis revealed specific links to various forms of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease….