Can Social Engagement Prevent Cognitive Decline in Old Age?
Authors: Mary N. Haan
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1999)

Editorials3 August 1999Can Social Engagement Prevent Cognitive Decline in Old Age?Mary N. Haan, MPH, DrPHMary N. Haan, MPH, DrPHUniversity of California, Davis, School of Medicine; Davis, CA 95616 (Haan)Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-131-3-199908030-00009 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Is being alone in old age common? Death of a spouse or friends and preoccupation with life among one's children seem likely tolead to a shrinking of a person's primary social network. These events have health consequences; for example, greater mortality rates among bereaved spouses have often been reported (1). We may not recognize the adaptive abilities of older persons. In old age, the nature of social contact and interaction changes in old age: It may expand to include non family members, may be more formalized because of involvement of organizations, and may be freer and more fluid because of ...References1. Martikainen P, Valkonen T. Do education and income buffer the effects of death of spouse on mortality? Epidemiology. 1998;9:530-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. van Tilburg T. Losing and gaining in old age: changes in personal network size and social support in a four-year longitudinal study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1998;53:S313-23. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Bassuk SS, Glass TA, Berkman LF. Social disengagement and incident cognitive decline in community-dwelling elderly persons. Ann Intern Med. 1999;131:165-73. LinkGoogle Scholar4. Roberts RE, Kaplan GA, Shema SJ, Strawbridge WJ. Does growing old increase the risk for depression? Am J Psychiatry. 1997;154:1384-90. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Brown RG, Scott LC, Bench CJ, Dolan RJ. Cognitive function in depression: its relationship to the presence and severity of intellectual decline. Psychol Med. 1994;24:829-47. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Haan MN, Shemanski L, Jagust WJ,Manolio TE, Kuller LK. Predictors of cognitive change in the elderly: does apoE4 change the course of cognitive decline due to atherosclerosis or diabetes? JAMA. [In press]. Google Scholar7. Howieson DB, Dame A, Camicioli R, Sexton G, Payami H, Kaye JA. Cognitive markers preceding Alzheimer's dementia in the healthy oldest old. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997;45:584-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Dori D, Casale G, Solerte SB, Fioravanti M, Migliorati G, Cuzzoni G, et al . Chrono-neuroendocrinological aspects of physiological aging and senile dementia. Chronobiologia. 1994;21:121-6. MedlineGoogle Scholar9. Erkinjuntti T, Sulkava R, Wikstrom J, Autio L. Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire as a screening test for dementia and delirium among the elderly. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1987;35:412-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Dalton JE, Pederson SL, Blom BE, Holmes NR. Diagnostic errors using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire with a mixed clinical population. J Gerontol. 1987;42:512-4. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. McDougall GJ. A review of screening instruments for assessing cognition and mental status in older adults. Nurse Pract. 1990;15:18-28. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar12. Palmer RM. "Failure to thrive" in the elderly: diagnosis and management. Geriatrics.1990;45:47-50, 53-5. Google Scholar13. Goodwin JS. Geriatrics and the limits of modern medicine. N Engl J Med. 1999;340:1283-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of California, Davis, School of Medicine; Davis, CA 95616 (Haan)Corresponding Author: Mary N. Haan, MPH, DrPH, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoSocial Disengagement and Incident Cognitive Decline in Community-Dwelling Elderly Persons Shari S. Bassuk , Thomas A. Glass , and Lisa F. Berkman Metrics Cited byStress, race, and APOE: understanding the interplay of risk factors for changes in cognitive functioningAn Evaluation Study of a Dementia Screening Program in Taiwan: An Application of the Theory of Planned BehaviorsThe Significance of Social Engagement in Relocated Older AdultsSocial Network, Cognitive Function, and Dementia Incidence Among Elderly WomenInfluence of the Eden Alternative™ on the Functional Status of Nursing Home ResidentsMaterial Memories Ethnography 3 August 1999Volume 131, Issue 3Page: 220-221KeywordsCognitionCognitive impairmentDementiaElderlyEmotionsMemoryMild cognitive impairmentSocioeconomic statusVascular dementiaVision Issue Published: 3 August 1999 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1999 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...