• Loneliness partially mediates...

Treffer: Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between Internet access and cognitive function in late adulthood: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

Title:
Loneliness partially mediates the relationship between Internet access and cognitive function in late adulthood: A cross-lagged panel analysis.
Authors:
Wang H; Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: wanghanqian@zju.edu.cn., Lu J; Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: jingjinglu@zju.edu.cn., Wang Y; School of Statistics and Mathematics, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Electronic address: yueyaowang@mail.zjgsu.edu.cn., Li L; Institute of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, China; Hangzhou International Urbanology Research Center & Zhejiang Urban Governance Studies Center, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: lilu@zju.edu.cn.
Source:
Journal of affective disorders [J Affect Disord] 2025 Mar 01; Vol. 372, pp. 134-143. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Nov 22.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 7906073 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-2517 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01650327 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Affect Disord Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Original Publication: Amsterdam, Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press.
MeSH Terms:
Loneliness*/psychology , Cognition*/physiology , Internet Access*/statistics & numerical data , Internet*, Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Longitudinal Studies ; Aged ; China ; Cognitive Dysfunction/psychology
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: Cognitive function; Cross-lagged panel analysis; Internet access; Loneliness; Older adults
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20241123 Date Completed: 20250426 Latest Revision: 20250426
Update Code:
20250426
DOI:
10.1016/j.jad.2024.11.060
PMID:
39579873
Database:
MEDLINE

Weitere Informationen

Objective: Previous studies have shown an association between Internet access and cognitive function, and have also found that loneliness is a precursor to cognitive impairment. However, little is known about the bidirectional relationship between Internet access and cognitive function, and the potential mechanisms that underlie these three variables. This study examined the reciprocal relationship between Internet access and cognitive function, as well as the mediating role of loneliness among middle-aged and older Chinese adults.
Methods: Data were derived from four waves (2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. A total of 6578 participants aged 50 and above with complete cognitive test data at baseline were selected for the analysis. Cross-lagged panel models were applied to explore the relationship between Internet access and cognitive function, with attention to the mediating role of loneliness.
Results: Reciprocal 4-wave lagged associations between Internet access and cognitive function, and the partial mediating role of loneliness were found in this study, controlling for all covariates. Increased Internet access predicts better cognitive function over time, and vice versa. Notably, this association was partially mediated by loneliness, indicating that more Internet access was associated with reduced loneliness, which was then associated with better cognitive performance.
Conclusions: This suggests that Internet access can influence individuals' cognitive function by impacting their feelings of loneliness. Multidisciplinary interventions utilizing digital connections to alleviate loneliness, enhance cognitive resilience, and delay cognitive decline may thus contribute to healthier aging in the digital era.
(Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.