A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Association of social isolation, loneliness and genetic risk with incidence of dementia: UK Biobank Cohort Study




AuthorsElovainio Marko, Lahti Jari, Pirinen Matti, Pulkki-Råback Laura, Malmberg Anni, Lipsanen Jari, Virtanen Marianne, Kivimäki Mika, Hakulinen Christian

PublisherBMJ PUBLISHING GROUP

Publication year2022

JournalBMJ Open

Journal name in sourceBMJ OPEN

Journal acronymBMJ OPEN

Article number e053936

Volume12

Issue2

Number of pages9

ISSN2044-6055

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053936(external)

Web address https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/12/2/e053936(external)

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/175055819(external)


Abstract

Background Social isolation and loneliness have been associated with increased risk of dementia, but it is not known whether this risk is modified or confounded by genetic risk of dementia.

Methods We used the prospective UK Biobank study with 155 070 participants (mean age 64.1 years), including self-reported social isolation and loneliness. Genetic risk was indicated using the polygenic risk score for Alzheimer's disease and the incident dementia ascertained using electronic health records.

Results Overall, 8.6% of participants reported that they were socially isolated and 5.5% were lonely. During a mean follow-up of 8.8 years (1.36 million person years), 1444 (0.9% of the total sample) were diagnosed with dementia. Social isolation, but not loneliness, was associated with increased risk of dementia (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.38 to 1.90). There were no interaction effects between genetic risk and social isolation or between genetic risk and loneliness predicting incident dementia. Of the participants who were socially isolated and had high genetic risk, 4.4% (95% CI 3.4% to 5.5%) were estimated to developed dementia compared with 2.9% (95% CI 2.6% to 3.2%) of those who were not socially isolated but had high genetic risk. Comparable differences were also in those with intermediate and low genetic risk levels.

Conclusions Socially isolated individuals are at increased risk of dementia at all levels of genetic risk.


Downloadable publication

This is an electronic reprint of the original article.
This reprint may differ from the original in pagination and typographic detail. Please cite the original version.





Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 14:24