How social isolation and loneliness affect Alzheimer's risk and health disparities
Official title: Project 4: Social isolation as a driver of AD/ADRD incidence and disparities
Funded at Boston University Medical Campus · NIH-11189747 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether being socially isolated or lonely raises the chance of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias in older adults and whether it helps explain differences across groups.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $600,451 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AG082653-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189747 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults—particularly those with limited social contacts—who can share health information or join follow-up studies and who represent diverse backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced Alzheimer's disease or very young, low-risk adults are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze large groups of older adults to compare measures of social contact and later diagnoses of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. They will use methods to try to separate whether social isolation causes dementia or whether early dementia leads people to withdraw. The team will also examine differences by age, sex, race/ethnicity, income, and rural versus urban residence. Results will help point to what kinds of social supports or programs might best reduce dementia risk and address inequities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to practical ways to lower dementia risk by strengthening social connections and help target support to groups most at risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous observational studies have linked social isolation and loneliness to higher dementia risk, but causality is unclear and trials to reduce isolation have had mixed results.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University Medical Campus
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Torres, Jacqueline Marie — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Torres, Jacqueline Marie
Related research
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The effect of social isolation on aging health in people with schizophrenia
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UCSF Prevention Center to Reduce Loneliness in older LGBTQ+ adults
A center at UCSF will partner with communities to reduce loneliness and social isolation among LGBTQ+ adults ages 60 and up.
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Genetic and brain factors behind how people respond to social isolation
A study to understand why some individuals respond differently to social isolation by looking at genes and brain circuits.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.