Psychosocial function in mild cognitive impairment: Social participation is associated with cognitive performance in multiple domains

Abstract

Psychosocial function is associated with cognitive performance cross-sectionally and cognitive decline over time. Using data from the COMPASS-ND study, we examined associations between psychosocial and cognitive function in 126 individuals with mild cognitive impairment, an at-risk group for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Psychosocial function was measured using questionnaires about mental health, social support, and social engagement. Composite scores for five cognitive domains were derived using principal component analysis. Multiple linear regression models were used to test the effects of various psychosocial factors on cognitive performance, controlling for age, sex, education, MoCA scores, and living circumstances. We found that low current participation in one’s social networks, over other psychosocial factors, was associated with worse verbal fluency and processing speed scores than those endorsing normal or high social participation. Our findings provide groundwork for further psychosocial-cognitive analyses in individuals at-risk for AD to better understand the role of poor social engagement in cognitive decline.

Plain Language Summary

Social isolation is a risk factor Alzheimer’s disease that people can do something about. In fact, poor psychosocial function, such as feelings of depression and loneliness, low participation in social activities, and low social support, can contribute to risk for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the link between social life and cognition remains unexplored in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, who are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. We used data from the COMPASS-ND study to study this in 126 participants with mild cognitive impairment. For psychosocial factors, we looked at feelings of depression and anxiety, social support, loneliness, and participation in social activities. For cognition, we looked at various cognitive functions, such as memory, response speed, and verbal abilities. Compared to people with reporting high social participation, we found that people reporting a less active social life produced fewer words and were slower to process and respond to information. These findings indicate that an active social life, over other psychosocial factors, has a positive relationship with cognitive performance in multiple domains in individuals with mild cognitive impairment. In other words, people with mild cognitive impairment who report being socially active have better word generation and processing speed than people who are less socially active. Our findings encourage further analyses on the links between psychosocial and cognitive function in individuals with (or at risk for) Alzheimer’s disease to better understand the role of poor social engagement in cognitive decline.