The Impact of Social Isolation on Subjective Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Study Based on Network Analysis and Longitudinal Model

Abstract

Social isolation (SI) in older adults has emerged as a critical mental health concern, with established links to cognitive decline. While depression is hypothesized to mediate this relationship, the longitudinal mechanisms remain unclear. This study employed network analysis and cross-lagged modeling to examine these relationships during pandemic-related social restrictions. We collected data from 1,230 older adults (Mage=64.49, SD=3.84) across three timepoints (during lockdown, immediately post-lockdown, and 6 months later). Network analysis identified depressive symptoms (particularly PHQ-9 item 9) as central nodes bridging SI and subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Longitudinal analyses revealed: 1) T1 SI predicted T2 depression; 2) T2 depression predicted T3 SCD. These patterns held for both online and offline SI, with excellent model fit. Our findings demonstrate depression's mediating role in the "SI-depression-SCD" pathway, highlighting how reduced social connections may gradually impair cognitive self-assessment through depressive symptoms. The results underscore the universal mental health impact of SI, regardless of interaction modality (virtual/in-person). These insights suggest that combined interventions targeting both social connection and depression management may be particularly effective for mitigating age-related cognitive decline.