Loneliness and Memory: The Mediating Role of Cognitive, Physical, and Social Activities

ObjectivesThe present study examined whether engagement in activities mediates the association between loneliness and memory.MethodsParticipants (N >12,000; Age range: 34 to 93 years) were from three large longitudinal samples from the US and England. Measures of loneliness and demographic factors were obtained at baseline, cognitive, physical, and social activities were obtained from a second wave, and episodic memory was obtained from a third wave, 8 to 17 years later.ResultsA meta-analysis indicated that loneliness was prospectively associated with worse memory performance at follow-up, and to less engagement in cognitive, physical and social activities. Less engagement in cognitive activities mediated part of the association between loneliness and worse memory performance and explained about 7% of this link. Physical and social activities did not mediate this association.DiscussionThe present study provided replicable evidence that less engagement in cognitive activities is a pathway linking loneliness to worse memory.