Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe: an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria; Eliana Pineda-Mateus; Miguel German Borda; Encarnación Satorres; Carmen Bueno-López; Juan Carlos Mélendez

doi:10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569

Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe: an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria
, Eliana Pineda-Mateus
, Miguel German Borda
, Encarnación Satorres
, Carmen Bueno-López
, Juan Carlos Mélendez

Instituto Rosarista para el Estudio del Envejecimiento y la Longevidad
Universidad del Rosario
Hospital Universitario Mayor Méderi
Stavanger University Hospital
University of Valencia

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most relevant risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the effect on specified cognitive domains has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loneliness on the trajectory of memory over a six-year period among older adults.

METHODS: Longitudinal analysis using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Older adults aged 65 years and older participated in all three waves (waves 5, 6, and 8) of SHARE, and had complete data on loneliness assessment at baseline (wave 5) were included. The effect of loneliness on memory trajectories was assessed through a multilevel growth modelling approach.

RESULTS: A total of 10217 participants aged 65 to 94 years. Participants with high loneliness at baseline demonstrated significantly lower immediate and delayed recall scores than those with low or average loneliness (-0.24 and -0.21, respectively). However, loneliness did not influence the rate of decline in memory scores over the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION: Loneliness is associated with lower initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the decline in memory function over time.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-10
Number of pages	10
Journal	Aging and Mental Health
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569
State	E-pub ahead of print - 13 Apr 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Centers and Institutes Mederi

Ageing Institute

Access to Document

10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569

CHANGE Project: Validation of a Hospital Evaluation Model for Older Adults in a Multicenter Multidimensional Care Network
Bottino Roma, M. F. (PI), Bernasovskaya Garção, N. I. (CoI), Romero Aliberti, M. J. (CoI), Avelino da Silva, T. J. (CoI), Venegas Sanabria, L. C. (CoPI) & Morros González, E. (CoI)
26/06/23 → 26/12/26
Project: Research › Clinical Research

Cite this

@article{7755c06f971942a38f8a290be6d938aa,

title = "Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe: an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)",

abstract = "BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most relevant risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the effect on specified cognitive domains has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loneliness on the trajectory of memory over a six-year period among older adults.METHODS: Longitudinal analysis using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Older adults aged 65 years and older participated in all three waves (waves 5, 6, and 8) of SHARE, and had complete data on loneliness assessment at baseline (wave 5) were included. The effect of loneliness on memory trajectories was assessed through a multilevel growth modelling approach.RESULTS: A total of 10217 participants aged 65 to 94 years. Participants with high loneliness at baseline demonstrated significantly lower immediate and delayed recall scores than those with low or average loneliness (-0.24 and -0.21, respectively). However, loneliness did not influence the rate of decline in memory scores over the follow-up period.CONCLUSION: Loneliness is associated with lower initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the decline in memory function over time.",

author = "Venegas-Sanabria, \{Luis Carlos\} and Eliana Pineda-Mateus and Borda, \{Miguel German\} and Encarnaci{\'o}n Satorres and Carmen Bueno-L{\'o}pez and M{\'e}lendez, \{Juan Carlos\}",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

day = "13",

doi = "10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569",

language = "Ingl{\'e}s",

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journal = "Aging and Mental Health",

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publisher = "Taylor and Francis Ltd.",

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T1 - Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe

T2 - an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

AU - Venegas-Sanabria, Luis Carlos

AU - Pineda-Mateus, Eliana

AU - Borda, Miguel German

AU - Satorres, Encarnación

AU - Bueno-López, Carmen

AU - Mélendez, Juan Carlos

PY - 2026/4/13

Y1 - 2026/4/13

N2 - BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most relevant risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the effect on specified cognitive domains has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loneliness on the trajectory of memory over a six-year period among older adults.METHODS: Longitudinal analysis using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Older adults aged 65 years and older participated in all three waves (waves 5, 6, and 8) of SHARE, and had complete data on loneliness assessment at baseline (wave 5) were included. The effect of loneliness on memory trajectories was assessed through a multilevel growth modelling approach.RESULTS: A total of 10217 participants aged 65 to 94 years. Participants with high loneliness at baseline demonstrated significantly lower immediate and delayed recall scores than those with low or average loneliness (-0.24 and -0.21, respectively). However, loneliness did not influence the rate of decline in memory scores over the follow-up period.CONCLUSION: Loneliness is associated with lower initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the decline in memory function over time.

AB - BACKGROUND: Loneliness and social isolation are two of the most relevant risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. However, the effect on specified cognitive domains has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the impact of loneliness on the trajectory of memory over a six-year period among older adults.METHODS: Longitudinal analysis using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Older adults aged 65 years and older participated in all three waves (waves 5, 6, and 8) of SHARE, and had complete data on loneliness assessment at baseline (wave 5) were included. The effect of loneliness on memory trajectories was assessed through a multilevel growth modelling approach.RESULTS: A total of 10217 participants aged 65 to 94 years. Participants with high loneliness at baseline demonstrated significantly lower immediate and delayed recall scores than those with low or average loneliness (-0.24 and -0.21, respectively). However, loneliness did not influence the rate of decline in memory scores over the follow-up period.CONCLUSION: Loneliness is associated with lower initial memory performance in older adults but does not accelerate the decline in memory function over time.

U2 - 10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569

DO - 10.1080/13607863.2026.2624569

M3 - Artículo

C2 - 41975563

SN - 1360-7863

SP - 1

EP - 10

JO - Aging and Mental Health

JF - Aging and Mental Health

ER -

Memory trajectories in lonely individuals in Europe: an analysis of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)

Abstract

UN SDGs

Centers and Institutes Mederi

Access to Document

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Projects

CHANGE Project: Validation of a Hospital Evaluation Model for Older Adults in a Multicenter Multidimensional Care Network

Cite this