Social Ties May Slow Memory Decline

Staying connected with family and friends can beneficially impact memory as we age.  Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA) researchers studied 16,638 men and women, ages 50 and over, to assess the impact of social integration on changes in memory during a six-year period.  The team found that the study participants with high social integration at the start of the study encountered slower rates of memory decline over time, as compared to the less socially integrated subjects.  Memory among the least socially integrated declined at twice the rate as that of the most socially integrated.

Among men, social activity in midlife may slash the risk of dementia.  Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Maryland, USA) studied 147 male twin pairs for 28 years.  Among the twins, those who participated in social activities at home, visited with family and friends, and engaged in club activities and hobbies were less apt to develop dementia.

Be sure to stay in-touch with loved ones on a regular basis.  Your network of family and friends not only provides moral support and encouragement, it might also help delay a declining memory.