A Robust Social Calendar May Significantly Reduce Dementia Risk

For those aged in their 50s, 60s, and 70s, a robust social calendar may significantly reduce dementia risk. A person who saw friends almost daily at age 60 was 12% less likely to develop dementia than someone who only saw one or two friends every few months. This increased social contact was also linked to positive outcomes on general cognitive measures: Global cognitive function was 0.07 standard deviations higher for those with the highest versus lowest third of social contact frequency. This difference was maintained over 14 years following the initial evaluation. While the positive effects of social interaction . . .