Childhood Loneliness Linked to Cognitive Decline in Adulthood

After adjustment for adult loneliness, childhood loneliness linked to cognitive decline and dementia risk

By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Childhood loneliness is associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk in adulthood, according to a study published online Sept. 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Jinqi Wang, Ph.D., from Capital Medical University in Beijing, and colleagues examined whether childhood loneliness is associated with cognitive decline and dementia risk in a cohort study using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Self-reported frequent feelings of loneliness and the absence of close friendships before age 17 years defined childhood loneliness.

Among 13,592 participants, 48.0 and 4.2 percent experienced possible childhood loneliness and reported childhood loneliness, respectively. Childhood loneliness was associated with significantly faster cognitive decline compared with no childhood loneliness (β = −0.03), as was possible childhood loneliness (β = −0.02). The risk for dementia was increased in association with childhood loneliness (hazard ratio, 1.41). When adjusting for adult loneliness and restricted to participants without adult loneliness, these associations remained significant. Overall, adult loneliness mediated 8.5 and 17.2 percent of the association of childhood loneliness with cognitive decline and with dementia risk, respectively, but did not significantly modify the associations.

“Public health initiatives aimed at preventing and reducing loneliness should begin in early life to mitigate its long-term implications for cognitive health and well-being,” the authors write.