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Association of Loneliness with Functional and Cognitive Status in Minor and Major Neurocognitive Disorders

Authors :
Maria Claudia Moretti
Iris Bonfitto
Luciano Nieddu
Ivana Leccisotti
Savino Dimalta
Giovanni Moniello
Madia Lozupone
Antonello Bellomo
Francesco Panza
Carlo Avolio
Mario Altamura
Source :
Life, Vol 14, Iss 10, p 1216 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Background: Neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) have a variable decline in cognitive function, while loneliness was associated with cognitive impairment and increased dementia risk. In the present study, we examined the associations of loneliness with functional and cognitive status in patients with minor (mild cognitive impairment) and major NCDs (dementia). Methods: We diagnosed mild NCD (n = 42) and major NCD (n = 164) through DSM-5 criteria on 206 participants aged > 65 years using the UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale (UCLA-3) to evaluate loneliness, the activities of daily living (ADL) and the instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales to measure functional status, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to assess cognitive functions. Results: In a multivariate regression model, the effect of loneliness on cognitive functions was negative in major (β = −1.05, p < 0.0001) and minor NCD (β = −0.06, p < 0.01). In the fully adjusted multivariate regression model (sex–age–education–multimorbidity–depressive symptoms–antidementia drug treatment), the effect of loneliness remained negative for major NCD and became positive for minor NCD (β = 0.09, p < 0.001). The effect of loneliness on IADL (β = −0.26, p < 0.0001) and ADL (β = −0.24, p < 0.001) showed a negative effect for major NCD across the different models, while for minor NCD, the effect was positive (IADL: β = 0.26, p < 0.0001; ADL: β = 0.05, p = 0.01). Minor NCD displayed different levels of MMSE (β = 6.68, p < 0.001) but not ADL or IADL, compared to major NCD for the same levels of loneliness. MANOVA pill test suggested a statistically significant and different interactive effect of loneliness on functional and cognitive variables between minor and major NCDs. Conclusions: We confirmed the relationships between loneliness and cognitive and functional status in major NCD, observing a novel trend in minor NCD.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20751729
Volume :
14
Issue :
10
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Life
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.81d93d93da242e68a7444c2976701a4
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/life14101216