Is it possible that preventing Parkinson’s disease—the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease—could be as simple as calling a friend or visiting a neighbor?
A Glimpse Into the 15-Year Study
Researchers at Florida State University analyzed data on nearly 500,000 participants aged 38 to 73 from the UK Biobank biomedical database and research resource, which houses extensive genetic and health data from more than half a million UK residents.The researchers tracked health surveys and status over 15 years. In that time, more than 2,800 people developed Parkinson’s disease.
Participants self-reported loneliness by answering the question “Do you often feel lonely?”
Social isolation was measured by the frequency of friend or family visits, frequency of leisure or social activities, and household size.
Researchers controlled for various factors known to influence Parkinson’s risk, including demographics, diabetes, genes, socioeconomic status, social isolation, smoking, physical activity, and body mass index.
Results showed that loneliness was significantly associated with eventual Parkinson’s diagnosis. This held true across age, genetic risk, and sex. However, accounting for chronic conditions such as diabetes reduced the association by 13.1 percent.
How Can Loneliness Lead to Parkinson’s?
An estimated half a million Americans have Parkinson’s disease. But the actual number is probably much higher, as the condition is difficult to diagnose early.Loneliness may increase Parkinson’s risk through inflammatory and metabolic pathways, the new study’s authors suggest.
“Loneliness has been correlated similarly to smoking and obesity,” Dr. Zehra Ali, who specializes in geriatric psychiatry at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital in New York and who wasn’t associated with the study, told The Epoch Times.
The Loneliness Epidemic
In May, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released an advisory on the “epidemic of loneliness and isolation” affecting the country. “Given the significant health consequences of loneliness and isolation, we must prioritize building social connection the same way we have prioritized other critical public health issues such as tobacco, obesity, and substance use disorders,” he said in a press statement.Dr. Murthy’s report shows declining social connections, especially among youth. It finds that about half of adults are lonely, costing billions in health care.
“We should be careful not to confuse social isolation and loneliness,” Dr. Anissa Abi-Dargham, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Stony Brook University in New York, told The Epoch Times. “Loneliness is more like the discrepancy between how much people want to feel connected and how much they are, between their reality and their wishes.”
Isolation doesn’t always mean loneliness, according to Dr. Abi-Dargham. “People can be within groups yet feel lonely,” she noted. “And that is what is really stressful.” On the other hand, some isolated people may feel connected; loneliness is subjective.
Social media also plays a role, replacing real connections with pseudo-connections lacking close confidants.
“Yet there isn’t really one person that’s extremely close that you can confide in and feel connected to,” Dr. Abi-Dargham said.
The relationship between loneliness and Parkinson’s disease is complex and multifaceted. Although more research into the link between the two conditions is necessary, social interaction and activity may help maintain brain health and reduce Parkinson’s risk.
