What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how neighborhood social cohesion and loneliness affect cognitive functioning among midlife and older U.S. adults across different racial and ethnic groups.

April 16, 2026

Racial/Ethnic Variation of Neighborhood Social Cohesion, Loneliness, and Cognitive Functioning among Midlife and Older U.S. Adults

Key Points

To explore how neighborhood social cohesion and loneliness affect cognitive functioning among midlife and older U.S. adults across different racial and ethnic groups.
Analyzed cognitive trajectories of midlife and older adults from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Examined the relationship between neighborhood social cohesion and loneliness.
Compared cognitive outcomes while accounting for racial/ethnic differences.
Loneliness was linked to greater cognitive decline over time in all racial/ethnic groups.
Only non-Hispanic White participants showed cognitive benefits from living in socially cohesive neighborhoods.
Increased social cohesion reduced feelings of loneliness, impacting cognitive trajectories.

Abstract

Although loneliness was associated with greater declines in cognition over time across all racial/ethnic groups, only non-Hispanic White participants' cognitive trajectories benefited from living in socially cohesive neighborhoods, via reduced loneliness.

Racial/Ethnic Variation of Neighborhood Social Cohesion, Loneliness, and Cognitive Functioning among Midlife and Older U.S. Adults

Key Points

Abstract

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