Less Frequent Social Activity Linked to More Rapid Loss of Motor Function in Older Adults

Loss of muscle strength, speed and dexterity is a common consequence of aging, and a well-established risk factor for death, disability and dementia. Yet little is known about how and why motor decline occurs when it is not a symptom of disease.

Now, researchers at Rush University Medical Center have found that, among the elderly, less frequent participation in social activities is associated with a more rapid decline in motor function.  The study is published in the June 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"It’s not just running around the track that is good for you," said Dr. Aron Buchman, associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center. "Our findings suggest that engaging in social activities may also be protective against loss of motor abilities."

"If the causal relationship is confirmed by others, the implications are enormous for interventions that can help the elderly. Our data raise the possibility that we can slow motor decline and possibly delay its adverse health outcomes by supporting social engagement – a relatively low-cost solution to a very large public health problem."

The study of 906 older adults found that motor decline was more rapid in those who less frequently participated in social activities, with each one-point decrease in a participant’s social activity associated with an approximate 33-percent more rapid rate of decline.

A one-point decrease on the social activity scale was equivalent to being approximately five years older at the start of the study, according to Buchman.

"Statistically, that amount of change translates into a more than 40-percent increased risk of death and a more than 65-percent increased risk of developing disability," Buchman said.

Motor function was also associated, as expected, with other factors, such as joint pain, depression, disability and vascular disease, but even when these factors were considered in the analysis, the association between social activity and motor decline still held up.

More Information at Your Fingertips:

• Read the full news release.
• Learn more about the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center.

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