Lonely People at Greater Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s

People who feel lonely have a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's, according to a recent study by scientists at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

The study was carried on 79 healthy adults to find out whether cortical amyloid levels in the brain, which is a protein linked to the disease, could be the factor behind loneliness. After factoring in things like gender, age, depression, genetics, socio-economic status, anxiety, and the social networks of the participants, researchers found that those with preclinical Alzheimer disease were 7.5 times additionally likely to feel lonely when compared with people who did not show early signs of the disease, according to a report published in the Independent.

Even though the researchers found proof of  a relation between early signs of Alzheimer's and loneliness, it was difficult to know whether social isolation was one of the reasons behind the disease or if it was just one of the many symptoms. The researchers mentioned in the journal JAMA Psychiatry that this new discovery might assist them to spot the disease more quickly.

Headed by Dr. Nancy Donovon of Brigham and Women's Hospital , the researchers warned that this discovery might have been impacted by the improved physical and mental health of the participants compared to the general population. The study didn't take in people suffering from Alzheimer's; however, it studied the brain protein, amyloid, which builds up for many years before dementia can be detected, said Dr.Clare Walton, a researcher at the Alzheimer's Society.

According to Dean Hartley from Alzheimer's Association, patients might undergo behavioral changes  that may indicate symptoms of mild dementia  in the early stages of the disease. He added that doctors may be trained in the future to look for mood swings, apathy, social impulsiveness or loneliness as early signs Alzheimer's disease.