Loneliness, social isolation, and social reward in the aging population: examining interventions, mechanisms, and outcomes

The global epidemic of loneliness and social isolation has health consequences that rival those of smoking and obesity. Older adults are at particularly high risk for loneliness, due to age-related declines in functioning and reduction in social networks. There is a need to further understand the effects of loneliness on cognitive, mental, and physical health in older adults; identify the underlying neural and behavioral mechanisms of social isolation; and develop interventions targeting deficits in these mechanisms.

Source: The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry - March 25, 2020 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Ellen Lee, Nili Solomonov, Kimberly Van Orden, Martha Bruce Tags: Session 312 Source Type: research