Loneliness trajectories and dementia risk: Insights from the HUNT cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Loneliness is postulated to be a risk factor for dementia. However, the findings are inconsistent, and long-term studies on this association remain scarce.

Methods

In all, 9389 participants self-reported loneliness in the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in HUNT1 (1984-1986), HUNT2 (1995-1997), and/or HUNT3 (2006-2008) and underwent cognitive assessment in HUNT4 (2017-2019) at age 70 years or older. Logistic regression was employed to analyze the association between the course of loneliness and dementia, with those never lonely as a reference.

Results

In the fully adjusted model, the odds ratio (OR) for persistent loneliness was 1.47 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10, 1.95). This attenuated when adjusting for depression (OR 1.28, 95% CI 0.95, 1.72).

Disc

SUBMITTER: Aunsmo RH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12305116 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul-Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature