Understanding how social connectedness protects older adults' cognitive health: the role of social cognition

项目摘要 社会和生活方式干预是一种有前途的创新，可以延迟 阿尔茨海默病（AD）和相关痴呆。大量工作表明， 通过个人社交网络（家庭群体）保持社会联系 成员，朋友和其他熟人，其中个人是社会嵌入） 赋予对认知衰退和AD的恢复力。目前的建议使用一个 跨学科和多方法的方法来阐明这一机制， 发生。到目前为止，现有的研究集中在社交网络的影响， 一种神经认知途径--一般认知能力。目前的提案测试了 一个新的预测，一个不同的途径-社会认知功能-是一个关键组成部分 作为社交网络、一般认知功能和AD之间联系的基础 resilience.社会认知功能--人们理解、储存、 并应用有关他人的信息-对于成功地在社交网络中导航至关重要。 相互作用，并在寿命期间下降。拟议的工作探讨了预测 通过复杂的社会互动来锻炼社会认知能力， 个人社交网络刺激老年人的一般认知功能， 提高他们的韧性。在目标1中，我们研究了老年人 社交网络及其社会认知功能，以及拥有 更好的社会认知功能可能对一般认知功能有保护作用。目的2 使用一种新的神经成像方法来识别神经生物学机制， 引起了社交网络和社会认知功能之间的关系。 最后，Aim 3使用纵向设计来深入了解因果关系 社交网络动态、社交认知能力下降和一般认知能力之间的关系 下降拟议的研究是跨学科的，结合了尖端的方法 从社会和生物医学科学，并利用资源的资助 AD、神经成像和网络科学中心。这个项目的长期目标是 改善AD的临床病程，降低AD的患病率， 痴呆症的影响。通过增加我们对生物学和生物学之间联系的理解， 和社会过程，该项目可能有助于确定新的干预目标， 减轻AD对个人、家庭和卫生保健系统的负担。

PROJECT SUMMARY Social and lifestyle interventions are a promising innovation for delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Extensive work has shown that maintaining social connectedness through personal social networks (the group of family members, friends, and other acquaintances in which individuals are socially embedded) confers resilience to cognitive decline and AD. The current proposal uses an interdisciplinary and multi-method approach to elucidate the mechanism by which this occurs. To date, existing research has focused on the implications of social networks for one neurocognitive pathway – general cognitive ability. The current proposal tests the novel prediction that a different pathway – social cognitive function – is a key component underlying the linkages between social networks, general cognitive function, and AD resilience. Social cognitive function – the process by which people understand, store, and apply information about others – is essential for successfully navigating social interactions, and declines over the lifespan. The proposed work explores the prediction that exercising social cognitive abilities through complex social interactions within their personal social networks stimulates older adults’ general cognitive function, thereby improving their resilience. In Aim 1, we examine the relationship between older adults’ social networks and their social cognitive function, as well as the possibility that having better social cognitive function may be protective for general cognitive function. Aim 2 uses a novel neuroimaging approach to identify the neurobiological mechanisms that give rise to the relationship between social networks and social cognitive function. Finally, Aim 3 uses a longitudinal design to gain insight into the causal relationship between social network dynamics, social cognitive decline, and general cognitive decline. The proposed study is interdisciplinary, combining cutting-edge methods from the social and biomedical sciences, and leveraging the resources of funded centers for AD, neuroimaging, and network science. The long-term goal of this project is to improve the clinical course of AD, and reduce the prevalence and public health impact of dementia. By increasing our understanding of the links between biological and social processes, this project may help identify novel targets for intervention to reduce the burden of AD on individuals, families, and the health care system.