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The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study
Bennett DA, Schneider JA, Tang Y, Arnold SE, Wilson RS.. The Lancet. Neurology, 2006-05-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Background Few data are available about how social networks reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in old age. We aimed to measure this effect using data from a large, longitudinal, epidemiological clinicopathological study. Methods 89 elderly people without known dementia participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project underwent annual clinical evaluation. Brain autopsy was done at the time of death. Social network data were obtained by structured interview. Cognitive function tests were Z scored and averaged to yield a global and specific measure of cognitive function. Alzheimer's disease pathology was quantified as a global measure based on modified Bielschowsky silver stain. Amyloid load and the density of paired helical filament tau tangles were also quantified with antibody-specific immunostains. We used linear regression to examine the relation of disease pathology scores and social networks to level of cognitive function. Findings Cognitive function was inversely related to all measures of disease pathology, indicating lower function at more severe levels of pathology. Social network size modified the association between pathology and cognitive function (parameter estimate 0.097, SE 0.039, p=0.016, R(2)=0.295). Even at more severe levels of global disease pathology, cognitive function remained higher for participants with larger network sizes. A similar modifying association was observed with tangles (parameter estimate 0.011, SE 0.003, p=0.001, R(2)=0.454). These modifying effects were most pronounced for semantic memory and working memory. Amyloid load did not modify the relation between pathology and network size. The results were unchanged after controlling for cognitive, physical, and social activities, depressive symptoms, or number of chronic diseases. Interpretation These findings suggest that social networks modify the relation of some measures of Alzheimer's disease pathology to level of cognitive function.
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APA 7th
Bennett, D. A., Schneider, J. A., Tang, Y., Arnold, S. E., & Wilson, R. S. (2006). The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study. The Lancet. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70417-3
Vancouver
Bennett DA, Schneider JA, Tang Y, Arnold SE, Wilson RS. The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study. The Lancet. Neurology. 2006. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70417-3. PMID: 16632311.
BibTeX
@article{bennett2006-16632311,
author = {Bennett, D. A. and Schneider, J. A. and Tang, Y. and Arnold, S. E. and Wilson, R. S.},
title = {{The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study}},
journal = {The Lancet. Neurology},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70417-3},
pmid = {16632311},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70417-3}
}
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Key findings
- The results were unchanged after controlling for cognitive, physical, and social activities, depressive symptoms, or number of chronic diseases.
- Interpretation These findings suggest that social networks modify the relation of some measures of Alzheimer's disease pathology to level of cognitive function.
Why it matters
In 89 older people from the Rush Memory and Aging Project who were examined at autopsy, more Alzheimer's-type brain pathology went with lower thinking ability. That link was weaker in people with larger social networks: "even at more severe levels of global disease pathology, cognitive function remained higher" for them, a pattern also seen with tau tangles but not amyloid load, and unchanged after adjusting for activities, depressive symptoms and chronic diseases. The authors say this "suggest[s]" social networks modify how some pathology relates to cognition. It is an observational association and does not show that social networks prevent or change the disease.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 59 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 61 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Lancet Neurology: journal h-index 457 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same 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 | 1 / 5 | 2006 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 719 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 32.7 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 39 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 100 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16632311) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 59 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 59 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 61 out of 100. |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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