Dementia’s early signs could be reversed by a good social life, study finds

A better social life could reverse memory problems in people with early signs of dementia, research suggests.

People who spend face-to-face time with friends and family, attend classes or groups, volunteer or attend religious services may see their brain function return to normal.

This can happen even if they had started deteriorating years before – which is good news for those whose memory and processing skills declined during lockdown.

Researchers analysed the brain function, lifestyles and social lives of nearly 2,200 Americans aged 62 to 90, including 972 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – often a precursor to dementia.

Five years later, they found 22 per cent of participants with MCI had improved to such an extent their brain function was now considered normal. 

Another 12 per cent had declined into dementia and 66 per cent stayed the same. Those with higher levels of social activity were most likely to have improved.

Lead researcher Ming Wen, of the University of Utah, US, said she was happily surprised by the findings.

‘Most people would think that this is a one-way direction, once you are cognitively impaired there’s no way to come back,’ she said after presenting the research at the Alzheimer’s UK Research Conference in Brighton this week.

‘But we found that even if you were cognitively impaired five years ago, if you actively participate in social interactions – activities such as volunteering, meeting with friends, socialising, attending religious services – then possibly a proportion of these people will get better and become normal again, which is really exciting.’

Increasing social activity by as little as one event per year could improve a person’s likelihood of reversing brain decline by up to 41 per cent, the findings suggested. 

Researchers analysed the brain function, lifestyles and social lives of nearly 2,200 Americans aged 62 to 90, including 972 people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) – often a precursor to dementia. (File photo)

‘Anything is better than nothing,’ Professor Wen added. But the more regular activity a person was involved in, the stronger the effect.

Having close social relationships was also linked to a protective effect against developing full dementia, although it did not appear to be connected to improving someone’s chances of reversing MCI.

The research took into account exercise levels, whether participants smoked or drank, if they worked, their age, sex, ethnicity and socio-economic background.

Because of the way the study was carried out, it was unclear whether those whose brain health improved had increased or maintained their levels of social activity over the five-year period. 

The research has not yet been published or peer reviewed.

Commenting on the study, Dr Susan Kohlhaas, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘We know keeping connected is a pillar of good brain health and that mid-life is increasingly being identified as a key time in people’s lives when we can act… Further research is needed to delve deeper into [the study’s] findings.’

Making a few simple switches to a better diet could also help prevent dementia, research shows.

Eating ‘a healthy UK diet with a few added extras’ – including more nuts, beans and pulses and using olive oil for cooking – could improve memory and brain function within six months, according to research at the University of East Anglia which was also presented at Alzheimer’s UK’s Research Conference.