Maldonado-Puebla Ricardo, Raina Parth M, Khanna Deepesh
Medicine, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
Medicine, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Clearwater, USA.
Cureus. 2024 Aug 15;16(8):e66942. doi: 10.7759/cureus.66942. eCollection 2024 Aug.
Age is the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disease where beta-amyloid plaques accumulate in the brain. Elderly individuals, especially those in nursing homes, were burdened by social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this literature review is to describe the effectiveness of social engagement and how combating isolation can have a neuroprotective effect on individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease. We conducted a search in PubMed examining articles from 2010 to 2023 that discussed the impact of socialization on Alzheimer's disease, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our search terms were "Alzheimer's Disease + Socialization," "Social Isolation + Alzheimer's Disease," "Alzheimer's Disease + COVID-19," "COVID-19 + Social Isolation," and "Social Interventions + Alzheimer's Disease." Inclusion criteria consisted of patients ages 60 and older with Alzheimer's disease, mention of social isolation or engagement, and any relationship between COVID-19 and Alzheimer's disease. Exclusion criteria were defined as other dementias, non-social interventions, and the effects of different viruses on Alzheimer's disease. After the screening process, 30 articles were included, along with six articles that were suitable to the topic. Of the 36 total articles, 19 focused on an intervention involving socialization; eight explored the effect of social isolation during COVID-19 on patients with Alzheimer's disease; five articles examined social isolation as a risk factor for dementia; and four articles discussed the effect of socialization on Alzheimer's disease. A few studies reported that having a large social network can improve cognition and mood for patients with Alzheimer's disease. Studies reported that interventions such as volunteering, video calls, group art classes, animal interactions, and others produced positive outcomes in Alzheimer's patients, but not all were statistically significant. Our review found a consistent association between a socially integrated lifestyle and a decreased incidence of early-onset dementia. Although not all interventions were solely social, a strong social structure remained at the core of a healthy aging process.
年龄是阿尔茨海默病（一种神经退行性疾病，大脑中会积累β-淀粉样蛋白斑块）的最强风险因素。在新冠疫情期间，老年人，尤其是养老院中的老年人，受到了社会隔离的困扰。这篇文献综述的目的是描述社交参与的有效性，以及对抗隔离如何对有患阿尔茨海默病风险的个体产生神经保护作用。我们在PubMed上进行了搜索，查阅了2010年至2023年讨论社交对阿尔茨海默病影响的文章，特别是在新冠疫情期间。我们的搜索词为“阿尔茨海默病 + 社交”“社会隔离 + 阿尔茨海默病”“阿尔茨海默病 + 新冠疫情”“新冠疫情 + 社会隔离”以及“社会干预 + 阿尔茨海默病”。纳入标准包括年龄在60岁及以上的阿尔茨海默病患者、提及社会隔离或社交参与，以及新冠疫情与阿尔茨海默病之间的任何关系。排除标准定义为其他痴呆症、非社会干预措施，以及不同病毒对阿尔茨海默病的影响。经过筛选过程，纳入了30篇文章，还有6篇与该主题相关的文章。在总共36篇文章中，19篇关注涉及社交的干预措施；8篇探讨了新冠疫情期间社会隔离对阿尔茨海默病患者的影响；5篇文章研究了社会隔离作为痴呆症的一个风险因素；4篇文章讨论了社交对阿尔茨海默病的影响。一些研究报告称，拥有庞大的社交网络可以改善阿尔茨海默病患者的认知和情绪。研究报告称，诸如志愿服务、视频通话、团体艺术课程、动物互动等干预措施在阿尔茨海默病患者中产生了积极结果，但并非所有结果都具有统计学意义。我们的综述发现，社交融入的生活方式与早发性痴呆发病率降低之间存在一致的关联。虽然并非所有干预措施都纯粹是社会性的，但强大的社会结构仍然是健康老龄化过程的核心。
