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Table 1 Characteristics of studies: intervention studies

From: The impact of social activities, social networks, social support and social relationships on the cognitive functioning of healthy older adults: a systematic review

Intervention studies examining the impact of social relationships on cognitive function

Study

Participants

Intervention

Socialisation defined

Cognitive outcome measures

Results summary

Mortimer (2012) [35]

China

N = 120

30/group

Age:60–79

1. Tai Chi

2. Walking

3. Social activity

4. No intervention

3 times/week, 40 weeks RCT

Social activity: Meeting and conversational discussion facilitated by leader and assistant 3 times a week for 40 weeks.

Memory (composite AVLT, CVLT)

Attention (Bell Cancellation Test, Stroop, TMT A)

Verbal Fluency (Category) a

Executive function (Rey CFT)

Processing speed (WAIS Digit Span, WAIS Similarities)

Cognitive function (Boston Naming Test, Clock-Drawing Test, MDRS)

Baseline to 40-week follow-up; improved verbal fluency (p = 0.01), trends for improvement (p < 0.10) on TMT A and AVLT.

Increased brain volume in the social interaction group versus no intervention, (p < 0.05). P-values not provided for other comparisons.

Park (2014)

[34]

USA

N = 221

1. n = 29

2. n = 35

3. n = 42

4. n = 36

5. n = 39

6. n = 40

Age: 60–90

Cognitive Engagement

1. Photo group

2. Quilt group

3. Dual photo + quilt control group

4. Social activity

5. Placebo

6. No intervention

15.9 h/week, 14 week programme, Non-RCT

Social activity: Participants engaged in on-site, facilitator-led social interactions, field trips, and entertainment with a social group.

Episodic memory (Cantab, HVLT)

Visuospatial processing (Cantab, Raven’s Progressive Matrices)

Processing speed (Digit Span)

Attention/inhibitory control (Flanker Task)

Cognitive function (MMSE)

Social group showed greater, but non-significant pre-post-test improvements versus photo, quilt and placebo (p = 0.10) on processing speed; photo and placebo on attention/inhibitory control; placebo on episodic memory; and quilt, dual and placebo on visuospatial processing.

Pitkala (2011)

[57]

Finland

N = 235

1. n = 117

2. n = 118

Age: 75+

1. Social activity plus therapeutic writing/group exercise/art experience

2. Normal community care

6 h/week, 3 months

12 month FU, RCT

Social activity: Choice of 1/3 activities plus active discussions, shared experiences, discussed feelings, peer support. Facilitated by trained professionals.

Cognitive function (ADAS-Cog) b

Subjective Cognitive Function (15D) b

ADAS-Cog scores improved significantly more in the social group than in the control group (p = 0.023); as did changes in 15D (p = 0.047).

  1. RCT randomised controlled trial, FU follow-up, AVLT Auditory Verbal Learning Test, CVLT Category Verbal Fluency Test, TMT Trail Making Test, Rey CFT Rey Complex Figure Task, WAIS-R Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, MDRS Mattis Dementia Rating Scale, Cantab Cambridge Tests of Cognitive Function, HVLT Hopkins Verbal Learning Test, MMSE Mini Mental Status Examination, ADAS-Cog Alzheimer’s disease Assessment Scale-Cognition
  2. Italic text indicates factors that were significantly related
  3. aSignificant improvement reported from baseline to follow-up
  4. bSignificant improvement reported in intervention compared to control