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Childhood Loneliness and Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Jinqi Wang, Danyang Jiao, Xiaoyu Zhao, Yixing Tian, Haibin Li, Xia Li, Chen Sheng, Lixin Tao et al.. JAMA Network Open, 2025-09-12
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Among 13 592 participants (mean [SD] age, 58.34 [9.39] years; 7175 [52.8%] female), 6525 (48.0%) experienced possible childhood loneliness, and 565 (4.2%) reported childhood loneliness. Compared with no childhood loneliness, childhood loneliness was associated with significantly faster cognitive decline (β, -0.03 [95% CI, -0.05 to -0.02] SD per year), as was possible childhood loneliness (β, -0.02 [95% CI, -0.02 to -0.01] SD per year). Moreover, childhood loneliness was associated with an increased risk of dementia (hazard ratio, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.93]). These associations remained significant when adjusted for adult loneliness and restricted to participants without adult loneliness. Adult loneliness mediated 8.5% (95% CI, 2.9% to 14.1%) of the association of childhood loneliness with cognitive decline and 17.2% (95% CI, 4.9%-29.5%) of the association with dementia risk but did not significantly modify these associations. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, childhood loneliness was associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk in middle and later adulthood, even in the absence of adult loneliness. Early interventions aimed at reducing childhood loneliness may help promote lifelong cognitive health and reducing dementia risk.
Key findings
- Among 13 592 participants (mean [SD] age, 58.34 [9.39] years; 7175 [52.8%] female), 6525 (48.0%) experienced possible childhood loneliness, and 565 (4.2%) reported childhood loneliness.
- Compared with no childhood loneliness, childhood loneliness was associated with significantly faster cognitive decline (β, -0.03 [95% CI, -0.05 to -0.02] SD per year), as was possible childhood loneliness (β, -0.02 [95% CI, -0.02 to -0.01] SD per year).
- Moreover, childhood loneliness was associated with an increased risk of dementia (hazard ratio, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.03 to 1.93]).
- These associations remained significant when adjusted for adult loneliness and restricted to participants without adult loneliness.
- Adult loneliness mediated 8.5% (95% CI, 2.9% to 14.1%) of the association of childhood loneliness with cognitive decline and 17.2% (95% CI, 4.9%-29.5%) of the association with dementia risk but did not significantly modify these associations.
Why it matters
People who reported loneliness in childhood had faster cognitive decline and a higher risk of dementia in middle and later adulthood, even when they were not lonely as adults. The authors suggest that early interventions to reduce childhood loneliness might help support lifelong cognitive health, though this study cannot prove cause and effect.
Study details
- Study designcohort study
- Participants592
- Effect size52.8%; 48.0%; 4.2%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (JAMA Network Open) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | JAMA Network Open: journal h-index 235 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A cohort study following people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 592 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 11 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Xiuhua Guo: h-index 51 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40938598) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31493
- PubMed: 40938598
- Original source →
- Free full text: JAMA Network Open →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wang, J., Jiao, D., Zhao, X., Tian, Y., Li, H., Li, X., et al. (2025). Childhood Loneliness and Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31493
Vancouver
Wang J, Jiao D, Zhao X, Tian Y, Li H, Li X, et al. Childhood Loneliness and Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults. JAMA Network Open. 2025. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31493. PMID: 40938598.
BibTeX
@article{wang2025-40938598,
author = {Wang, Jinqi and Jiao, Danyang and Zhao, Xiaoyu and Tian, Yixing and Li, Haibin and Li, Xia and Sheng, Chen and Tao, Lixin and others},
title = {{Childhood Loneliness and Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Adults}},
journal = {JAMA Network Open},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31493},
pmid = {40938598},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.31493}
}
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