New Delhi: Loneliness may impact memory performance in older adults but does not appear to accelerate cognitive decline over time, according to a study conducted on around 10,000 Europeans over seven years.

The findings, published in the journal Aging and Mental Health, showed that individuals reporting higher levels of loneliness performed worse in memory tests at the start of the study.

However, researchers from institutions including Universidad del Rosario and Universitat de Valencia found that the rate of memory decline among these participants was similar to those who did not report feeling lonely.

The study analysed data from 2012 to 2019 under the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), covering participants aged 50 and above across countries such as Germany, Spain and Sweden.

Researchers said loneliness — defined as a perceived lack of social connection — remains a significant public health concern and is linked to poorer initial brain function. However, it may not necessarily increase the risk of dementia.

They suggested that routine screening for loneliness could be included in cognitive health assessments for older adults.