Abstract
The extent to which social relationships influence cognitive aging is unclear. In this study, we investigated the association of midlife quality of close relationships with subsequent cognitive decline. Participants in the Whitehall II Study (n = 5,873; ages 45–69 years at first cognitive assessment) underwent executive function and memory tests 3 times over a period of 10 years (1997–1999 to 2007–2009). Midlife negative and positive aspects of close relationships were assessed twice using the Close Persons Questionnaire during the 8 years preceding cognitive assessment. Negative aspects of close relationships, but not positive aspects, were associated with accelerated cognitive aging. Participants in the top third of reported negative aspects of close relationships experienced a faster 10-year change in executive function (−0.04 standard deviation, 95% confidence interval: −0.08, −0.01) than those in the bottom third, which was comparable with 1 extra year of cognitive decline for participants aged 60 years after adjustment for sociodemographic and health status. Longitudinal analysis found no evidence of reverse causality. This study highlights the importance of differentiating aspects of social relationships to evaluate their unique associations with cognitive aging.
Highlights
The extent to which social relationships influence cognitive aging is unclear
Analyses were based on 5,873 participants who completed 1 or more cognition tests and had data on negative aspects of close relationships and other covariates
This study showed that participants reporting higher cumulative levels of negative aspects of close relationships over the course of midlife experienced accelerated declines in executive function from middle age to early old age
Summary
We investigated the association of midlife quality of close relationships with subsequent cognitive decline. Negative aspects of close relationships, but not positive aspects, were associated with accelerated cognitive aging. Participants in the top third of reported negative aspects of close relationships experienced a faster 10-year change in executive function (−0.04 standard deviation, 95% confidence interval: −0.08, −0.01) than those in the bottom third, which was comparable with 1 extra year of cognitive decline for participants aged 60 years after adjustment for sociodemographic and health status. Other studies found that negative aspects of social relationships were associated with better concurrent cognition but found no evidence of longitudinal associations [21, 22]. We investigated the impact of midlife negative and positive aspects of close relationships on subsequent cognitive decline up to early old age, using data on the Whitehall II cohort, with 3 assessments of cognitive function spanning
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