Abstract
Background: The extent to which social relationships influence cognitive ageing is unclear. This study investigates the impact of mid-life quality of close relationships on cognitive decline, using multilevel modelling. Methods:Whitehall II study participants (n1⁄46,495, aged 45-69 at baseline) provided cognitive assessments (executive function [reasoning, phonemic and semantic fluency] and memory) three times over 10 years. The quality of close relationships was assessed by the Close Persons Questionnaire. Results: Higher levels of adverse close relationships in mid-life were related to lower concurrent memory (-0.08; 95% CI: -0.12,-0.03 SD) and accelerated 10-year decline in executive function (-0.04; 95% CI: -0.07,-0.01 SD). Participants reporting higher cumulative negative aspects of close relationships experienced greater cognitive decline (-0.05; 95% CI: -0.08,-0.01 SD). Longitudinal analysis found no evidence of reverse causality. Conclusions: Adverse close relationships predict relatively rapid cognitive ageing. This study highlights the importance of differentiating aspects of social relationships to evaluate their unique health effects.
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