Better quality relationships associated with reduced dementia risk

What is it about?

The reserach question was whether quality of relationships with family members or friends affects the risk of developing dementia. The study found that better quality relationship (positive support) with adult children is associated with reduced risk of developing dementia. Conversely, negative social support is associated with increased risk of developing dementia. The study analysed a decade of data that followed 10,055 core participants from ELSA who were dementia-free at the start of the study in 2002-2003. Participants were interviewed every two years during 2004-2012 and incidence of dementia was identified from self-reports by participants or information given by nominated informants. Measures of positive and negative experiences of social support were calculated at baseline (2002) using a set of six items within the ‘Health and lifestyle of people aged 50 and over’ questionnaire of ELSA. The scale ranged from 1-4 with higher values indicating more of positive or negative support. An increase of one point in the positive social support score led to up to a 17 per cent reduction in the relative risk of developing dementia. Positive support was characterised by having a reliable, approachable and understanding relationship with spouses or partners, children and other immediate family. But negative support scores showed stronger effects – an increase of one point in the negative support score led to up to 31 per cent rise in the relative risk. Negative support was characterised by experiences of critical, unreliable and annoying behaviours from spouses or partners, children and other immediate family.

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Why is it important?

It is well known that having a rich network of close relationships, including being married and having adult children, is related to a reduced risk of cognitive decline and developing dementia. However, a relationship or social connection that does not work well can be a source of intense interpersonal stress, which may have a negative impact on both physical and mental health of older adults. It is not only the quantity of social connections, but the quality of those connections may be an important factor affecting older people’s cognitive health. This work is a step toward better understanding of the impact of social relationships on dementia risk, but further research is needed to better establish any potential causal mechanisms that may drive these associations.