220Longitudinal associations between social isolation and cognitive performance among middle-aged and older population in China

Abstract

Abstract Background In China, more than 10% of the elderly suffer from cognitive impairment and there is more than 10 million elderly with Alzheimer's disease. We aim to examine the association between social isolation and cognitive function among the Chinese middle-aged and older population. Methods We used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cognitive performance and social isolation were assessed at baseline (2011) and follow-up (2013, 2015). We examined the trajectories of changes in cognitive performance and social isolation on the Latent Growth Model (LGM), and the independent effects of social isolation on the initial level and the subsequent development of cognition. Results After excluding respondents with missing key variables, we ultimately included 10,906 participants in the analysis. Cognitive performance and social isolation scores showed significant differences across time. After adjustment for the confounders, the coefficients of social isolation in the LGM indicated negative effects on cognitive performance in participants at three-time points (P < 0.05). Controlling for the confounders, the path coefficient of the initial level of social isolation with the initial level and the slope of cognition was −1.53 and 0.22, respectively. Similarly, the slope of social isolation and the slope of cognition were significantly (negatively) correlated. Conclusions Results demonstrate that higher social isolation lowers the cognitive performance and the decrease in overall social isolation is significantly associated with an increase in cognition for the middle-aged and elderly persons. Key messages Cognition, Social isolation, Aging, Latent growth model