Study Finds Increased Sociability May Signal Early Alzheimer’s Risk

A new study has challenged the conventional understanding that social withdrawal is a primary early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) and Boston University discovered that people with a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s may actually become more socially active in the early stages of the disease.

Research analyses data from half a million participants

The study examined the social habits and genetic profiles of over 500,000 British individuals, with an average age of 56, using data from the UK Biobank.

The researchers found that individuals with elevated genetic risk for Alzheimer’s reported engaging in a broader range of social activities, experienced less social isolation, and described happier family relationships.

“We found that people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s may not withdraw from social settings; in fact, their social lives may even expand,” said co-senior author Dr Ashwin Kotwal of UCSF. “It’s unclear whether they are initiating more interactions or if others are responding to subtle changes and providing increased support.”

No reported differences in emotional support or friendship quality

While sociability appeared to increase, the study found no significant differences between high-risk and low-risk individuals in areas such as loneliness, emotional support, or friendship quality.

This suggests that the increase in social activity may not necessarily stem from emotional needs but could reflect early neurological changes linked to the disease.

Sociability may signal early Alzheimer’s risk

Scientists have long believed that social connectedness boosts cognitive reserve, the brain’s capacity to function normally despite signs of ageing or disease.

The new findings reinforce the idea that social activity may help delay the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s.

However, researchers caution that increased sociability in some individuals might not be a protective factor but an early behavioural symptom of the disease.

In addition to genetic risk, the study highlighted modifiable lifestyle factors that influence Alzheimer’s development.

These include physical inactivity, uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, poor sleep, depression, smoking, and the use of certain medications.

Experts estimate that roughly 30% of Alzheimer’s cases can be attributed to such preventable causes.

Late-life mood disorders may signal alzheimer’s & dementia

Complementing this study, separate research conducted by Japan’s National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST) indicated that late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), such as depression, bipolar disorder, or mania after the age of 40, could also serve as early indicators of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, the study analysed the presence of abnormal tau protein in the brains of 52 LLMD patients and 47 healthy participants. Tau accumulation is a key marker in several neurodegenerative conditions.

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