How Social Interaction Prevents Dementia

This final post on information we can all benefit from today out of the recent Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, highlights the relationship between social interaction (the face to face kind not the Facebook kind) and long term health including preventative effects against dementia. The previous posts have focused on the impact of regular exercise, routine sleep and a healthy diet on cognition across the life span. Recent findings from clinical trials show that while most people think dementia isn’t preventable, in fact what you do day-to-day can actually impact your brain health in the long run.

Exercising your brain through healthy socialization is very important.

Similar to sleep, exercise and diet, social interaction actually has a wide scope of positive benefits that you may not have considered. Research shows that people who regularly engage in social interaction maintain their brain health. One study by the National Institute of Health found that just ten minutes of social interaction every day increases performance on cognitive assessments and can give an important cognitive edge as we age.

The reason social interactions enhance our mental health in multiple ways is that they require our brains to work and form connections.

Detect, Decode and Interpret

Social situations and the development of relationships require our brains to engage multiple neural networks that support healthy day-to-day function and capability. Face to face social situations require us to operate quickly to ensure we detect, decode, and interpret the interaction so that we can give an appropriate response. This entails:

·      Listening and taking in information

·      Putting a meaning to this information

·      Analyzing what it means in the context of the broader conversation

·      Interpreting conscious/subconscious cues that come with interaction (i.e. body language)

·      Igniting our working memory so that we can effectively transition through conversations

·      Monitoring impulse and inhibition controls to ensure we are appropriate in the interaction

This mental stimulation, or exercise, helps stave off the cognitive deterioration that can accompany the aging process. 

Social Connections & Health

Aside from “mental exercise,” social interactions facilitate the development and maintenance of our support system and network. As the Harvard Women’s Health Watch reported, “Dozens of studies have shown that people who have satisfying relationships with family, friends and their community are happier, have fewer health problems, and live longer.”

Those with large social networks are 26% less likely to develop dementia than those with small networks. This is because resilience to stress is greater among those with firm social support networks.

As we age, maintaining meaningful interactions becomes especially important for staving off cognitive decline. Another study conducted by Dr. Lisa Berkman at Harvard University found that individuals who were socially active experienced less decline in memory. In fact, those with the highest sociability reported half as much memory loss compared to the least social. This remained true even when other demographics like age, gender, race, and health were controlled for.

Not all socializing is created equal

There is an important distinction between types of social interactions and not all interactions have the same impact on cognitive health.

Researchers have noted that just living with family members – merely cohabitating – does not decrease one’s likelihood of developing dementia because it does not provide the right kind of social interaction to warrant cognitive benefits.

To reap the benefits of social interactions, individuals must be engaged. In fact, participation in social activities outside the family is one of the strongest preventative measures against dementia. One explanation for this is that social engagement actually encourages the other healthy behaviors I’ve mentioned before, such as exercising and taking meals with others.

What can I do?

According to research conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association, sports, cultural activities, emotional support and personal relationships together appear to have a protective effect against dementia.

The key is to stay socially engaged in activities that stimulate the mind and body. So

·      Stay active in the workplace

·      Volunteer in community groups and causes

·      Join bridge clubs, Tai Chi, dancing clubs, walking groups or other community social groups

·      Travel

Importantly, social skills can be a litmus test to gauge health. Significant differences in demeanor can be indicative of health difficulties both physical and mental. Some of the first symptoms of dementia are social – sufferers become more paranoid, less attentive, less empathetic, and worse at emotion recognition. Being aware of these warning signs can help family members and friends identify changes and may signal that it’s time to take a loved one to a physician for a cognitive assessment.

References:

1.    Wang, S. S. (2013, May 21). When social skills are a warning--behavior changes serve as an early signal of mental-health issues; starting treatment sooner.Wall Street Journal 

2.    Diamond, M. (2008, Nov 21). Friends Make You Smart. AARP.

3.    Glei, D. A., Landau, D. A., Goldman, N., Chuang, Y. L., Rodríguez, G., & Weinstein, M. (2005). Participating in social activities helps preserve cognitive function: an analysis of a longitudinal, population-based study of the elderly. International journal of epidemiology, 34(4), 864-871.

4.    Ybarra, O., Burnstein, E., Winkielman, P., Keller, M. C., Manis, M., Chan, E., & Rodriguez, J. (2008). Mental exercising through simple socializing: Social interaction promotes general cognitive functioning. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(2), 248-259.

5.    Ybarra, O., & Winkielman, P. (2012). On-line social interactions and executive functions. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 6.

6.    Parker-Pope, T. (2008, June 4). Socializing Appears to Delay Memory Problems. The New York Times.

7.    Ozbay, F., Johnson, D. C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan III, C. A., Charney, D., & Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and resilience to stress: from neurobiology to clinical practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont), 4(5), 35.