Social networks in later life are related to cognitive performance.

What is it about?

Social networks can include friends, family, children, and spouses. We tested whether certain aspects of social networks in older adulthood were related to cognitive performance two to four years later. We included five different areas of cognition, all of which are important for daily functioning. Regarding relationships with friends, we found that how often participants were in touch with their friends was related to better cognitive performance in all five domains. We also found that greater strain experienced in relationships with friends was related to worse cognitive performance in every domain except episodic memory.

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Why is it important?

Testing accessible, modifiable factors related to cognitive aging is important to generate ideas for useful intervention methods that could promote healthy aging. It is important to identify factors that not only buffer the negative effects of cognitive aging but also promote positive trajectories of cognitive aging.