Social relationships, amyloid burden, and dementia: The ARIC-PET study

This study aimed to assess whether social relationships in mid-life reduce the risk of dementia related to amyloid burden.

Participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study were assessed for social support and isolation (visit 2; 1990-1992). A composite measure, "social relationships," was generated. Brain amyloid was evaluated with florbetapir positron emission tomography (PET); (visit 5; 2012-2014). Incident dementia cases were identified following visit 5 through 2019 using ongoing surveillance. Relative contributions of mid-life social relationships and elevated brain amyloid to incident dementia were evaluated with Cox regression models.

Among 310 participants without dementia, strong mid-life social relationships were associated independently with lower dementia risk. Elevated late-life brain amyloid was associated with greater dementia risk.

Although mid-life social relationships did not moderate the relationship between amyloid burden and dementia, these findings affirm the importance of strong social relationships as a potentially protective factor against dementia.