Social connections and health in older adults with schizophrenia
The impact of social isolation on aging health in schizophrenia
This project will look at whether being socially isolated speeds up health problems as people with schizophrenia get older.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11371739 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You'll be invited to join a group of about 650 people — roughly 500 with schizophrenia and 150 comparison participants — who will be followed over time. Researchers will collect information about your social contacts, medical history, and health measurements and link these over several years to see how isolation relates to earlier onset of medical problems. The work brings together long-term data from European (EU-GEI) and U.S. (Olin Neuropsychiatry Research Center at Mount Sinai) sites to build a shared longitudinal database. Results will be used to guide ways to reduce preventable health decline tied to loneliness and social isolation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders, especially those aged 65 and older or entering older age, are the best match for this project.
Not a fit: People without schizophrenia or those who are not socially isolated are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to social isolation as a modifiable factor to help slow early health decline in people with schizophrenia.
How similar studies have performed: Research in the general population links social isolation to worse physical health and pilot data show similar associations in schizophrenia, but applying this approach to explain accelerated aging in schizophrenia is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reichenberg, Abraham — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Reichenberg, Abraham
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 below.