Brain & Nervous System Alzheimer's Prevention Does Social Interaction Prevent Dementia? By Esther Heerema, MSW facebook twitter linkedin Esther Heerema, MSW, shares practical tips gained from working with hundreds of people whose lives are touched by Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Learn about our editorial process Esther Heerema, MSW Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on December 02, 2019 linkedin Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD, is an award-winning, board-certified physician-scientist and clinical development specialist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Shaheen Lakhan, MD, PhD on December 02, 2019 Print Can friendships and social interaction reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia? Some research seems to indicate this possibility. Portra Images/Getty An article published in 2013 outlined a six-year study on social interaction and dementia. This research involved 593 participants over the age of 65 who were free of dementia at the beginning of the study. The social interactions of the participants were monitored, as was their cognitive abilities. The results found that those with higher levels of social interaction were less likely to develop dementia. It's important to note that, in this study, "social interaction" included activities like reading the newspaper, trying new things, having an active approach to life and maintaining an active social life. The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease also outlined an interesting study on social interaction. This study involved participants without dementia who were involved in a highly interactive discussion group, while others in the study participated in Tai Chi, walking, or were part of the control group who received no interventions. The results showed that those involved in the discussion group not only improved in their cognitive functioning but also increased their brain volumes according to MRIs. A larger brain volume has been correlated with a decreased risk of dementia. Quality of Social Interactions Matter Some research has shown that having a large number of friends might not necessarily be the factor that reduces the risk of dementia. Rather, it's the quality, satisfaction, support, and reciprocity (give and take) of the relationships that are the important factors in reducing the risk. Can Social Interaction Prevent MCI from Progressing to Dementia? Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a condition where thinking and memory skills are somewhat diminished, and yet day-to-day functioning often remains fairly intact. Some people with MCI decline steadily and develop Alzheimer's disease, while others remain stable or even improve in cognition over time. Research has demonstrated a decreased risk of progression to dementia from MCI in people who actively participate in social activities. Social activities are defined in this study as including going to a place of worship, volunteering, spending time with family and friends, going to restaurants, attending special family occasions and attending organizational activities. While we can't conclude that social interaction definitely prevents a cognitive decline in people with MCI, it does appear to significantly reduce the chances of that progression. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! When it comes to Alzheimer's, the MIND diet has shown promise in reducing risk and promoting brain health. Sign up for our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Newsletter and get your free recipe guide today. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Amieva H, Stoykova R, Matharan F, Helmer C, Antonucci TC, Dartigues JF. What aspects of social network are protective for dementia? Not the quantity but the quality of social interactions is protective up to 15 years later. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2010;72(9):905-11. Anme T, Kawashima Y, Shinohara R, et al. Social interaction and dementia prevention: six-year follow-up study. Jornal of Public Health Frontier. 2013;2(2):109-13. Hughes TF, Flatt JD, Fu B, Chang CC, Ganguli M. Engagement in social activities and progression from mild to severe cognitive impairment: the MYHAT study. International Psychogeriatrics. 2013;25(4):587-95. doi:10.1017/S1041610212002086 Mortimer JA, Ding D, Borenstein AR, et al. Changes in Brain Volume and Cognition in a Randomized Trial of Exercise and Social Interaction in a Community-Based Sample of Non-Demented Chinese Elders. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2012;30(4):757–766.