Living alone linked with higher dementia risk

People over 55 who live alone are 30% more likely to develop dementia than those who live with others, according to a new UCL-led study. The systematic review and meta-analysis, published in Ageing Research Reviews , suggests that social isolation could be a greater risk factor for dementia than previously believed. Lead author Dr Roopal Desai (UCL Psychology & Language Sciences) said: "More and more people are living alone, particularly older people, and some studies have also suggested that increasing numbers of people are experiencing loneliness in countries such as the UK. "Our findings suggest that low social contact could have serious implications for dementia rates, especially as dementia rates are already rising due to ageing populations." The research team reviewed evidence from 12 studies in seven countries in Europe and Asia, which pulled together data from 21,666 people aged over 55. They used living alone as a proxy measure for social isolation, which can be difficult to quantify. While only three of the studies had found that living alone was significantly associated with increased risk of dementia, by combining the results from the 12 studies the researchers were able to increase the power of the analysis. As a result they were better able to detect the effect of living alone and subsequent risk of dementia, concluding there was a significant link between the two.