Psychosocial factors associated with 7‐year change in cognition among middle‐aged and older Hispanics/Latinos: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos‐Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL‐INCA) and Sociocultural ancillary studies

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONFew studies have examined the associations of psychosocial factors with cognitive change in Hispanics/Latinos.METHODSData from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos‐Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (HCHS/SOL INCA) and Sociocultural studies were used (n = 2,155; ages ≥45 years). Psychosocial exposures included intrapersonal (ethnic identity, optimism, purpose in life), interpersonal (family cohesion, familism, social networks, social support), and social factors (ethnic discrimination, loneliness, subjective social status). Survey‐linear regression models examined associations between psychosocial exposures and 7‐year cognitive change (global cognition [GC], verbal learning, memory, word fluency [WF], and digit symbol substitution [DSS]).RESULTSFamilism predicted decline in GC, verbal learning, and memory; family cohesion predicted DSS decline; and loneliness predicted memory decline. Ethnic identity was protective against decline in GC and memory, optimism and social support were protective against decline in memory, and purpose in life was protective against WF decline.DISCUSSIONPsychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes. Culturally relevant factors should be explored in Hispanic/Latino cognitive aging research.Highlights Psychosocial factors are differentially related to cognitive changes in Latinos. Role of culturally relevant factors on cognition should be further explored. Familism predicted decline in global cognition, verbal learning, and memory. Ethnic identity predicted increase in global cognition and memory.

A preliminary study on the neurocognitive deficits associated with loneliness in young adults

“…For example, a recent systematic review (11) that examined "the impact of social isolation and loneliness on memory in middle-and older-aged adults" in PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases until January 2022 found 11 studies whose minimum age of participants was 50 years and only 1 study with the age of the participants being ≥45 years. More recently, a few studies that extended their investigations to include middle-aged populations in their 40s have reported significant findings on the relationship between loneliness and cognitive functioning (12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Specifically, loneliness was linked with impairments in executive functioning (16) and memory (12,13,15,16) but not in global cognition, verbal learning, and fluency (12).…”

“…More recently, a few studies that extended their investigations to include middle-aged populations in their 40s have reported significant findings on the relationship between loneliness and cognitive functioning (12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Specifically, loneliness was linked with impairments in executive functioning (16) and memory (12,13,15,16) but not in global cognition, verbal learning, and fluency (12). In this population, persistent loneliness has been found to be associated with smaller parietal, temporal, and hippocampus volumes, which are responsible for memory and executive dysfunction (16).…”