Longitudinal Associations Between Loneliness and Cognitive Ability in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Loneliness is associated with poorer cognitive function in old age; however, the direction of this association is unknown. We tested for reciprocal associations between loneliness and the cognitive ability domains of processing speed, visuospatial ability, verbal memory, and crystallized ability.

Method

We used three triennial waves of longitudinal data from the Lothian Birth Cohort Study 1936, and tested for cross-lagged associations between loneliness and cognitive abilities using cross-lagged panel models.

Results

Better processing speed, visuospatial ability, or crystallized ability at age 73, was associated with less positive changes in loneliness between ages 73 and 76; however, these associations were not replicated between ages 76 and 79. Loneliness

SUBMITTER: Okely JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6777773 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature