Researchers from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at Universidad del Rosario have published a new longitudinal study in Aging & Mental Health that clarifies the relationship between loneliness and memory in older adults. The study followed 10,217 adults, aged 65 to 94, from 12 European countries over a six-year period. The team analyzed data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) to assess levels of loneliness and performance on memory tests. The results showed that age was the most important determinant of memory level and speed of decline. Scores began to fall more rapidly from age 75, and the decline became more pronounced after age 85. Depression and chronic diseases such as diabetes also reduced initial scores. While loneliness influenced the starting point of memory performance, it did not accelerate the slope of cognitive decline. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria, who led the research, stated: "It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline." He added that the study underscores the importance of addressing loneliness as a significant factor in the context of cognitive performance in older adults. The study also found that physical activity was associated with better initial memory scores. People who engaged in moderate or vigorous physical activity at least once a month recalled more words on immediate and delayed recall tests. This effect raised the baseline level, functioning as a kind of cognitive buffer , but did not change the speed of decline. Although the study does not explore the causes of the link between loneliness and cognition, previous research has proposed plausible mechanisms. Loneliness is often associated with less social interaction, which influences cognitive performance. It is also associated with increased risk of depression, which directly affects memory tests. In addition, lonely people tend to have more health problems, such as hypertension or diabetes, which also affect cognitive function. By 2050, according to United Nations projections, one in six people in the world will be over the age of 65. Societies are entering a stage where old age will no longer be the exception but will become the norm. Dementia, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases that appear with age, will be a major challenge for health care institutions.