Face-to-face social interaction was associated with greater stability and less decline in orientation and executive function among older adults, while no significant associations were found between social interaction patterns and memory trajectories.
Key Findings
Results
Three distinct cognitive trajectories were identified in each of the three cognitive domains assessed over 9 years.
Data spanned 2012–2021 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)
Cognitive domains assessed were orientation (n = 2394), execution (n = 2113), and memory including immediate and delayed memory (n = 2415)
Growth mixture modeling was used to identify the trajectories within each domain
Three trajectories were identified separately for orientation, executive function, and memory
Results
Continuous face-to-face, continuous mixed, and changes social interaction groups were all significantly more likely to remain at a stable and high level of orientation compared to the continuous online/no social interaction group.
Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between social interaction patterns and cognitive trajectories
All odds ratios were less than 1 (all ORs < 1, P < 0.05) for the face-to-face, mixed, and changes groups relative to the continuous online/no social interaction group
This indicates lower odds of belonging to declining trajectory classes compared to the reference group
The continuous online/no social interaction group served as the reference category
Results
Continuous face-to-face, continuous mixed, and changes social interaction groups were all significantly more likely to remain at a stable and high level of executive function compared to the continuous online/no social interaction group.
All ORs < 1, P < 0.05 for comparisons against the continuous online/no social interaction reference group
Executive function sample comprised n = 2113 participants
Multinomial logistic regression was the analytical method used
Results mirror the orientation domain findings
Results
No significant associations were found between social interaction patterns and memory trajectories for either immediate or delayed memory.
Memory domain sample comprised n = 2415 participants
Both immediate memory and delayed memory were assessed separately
The null findings for memory contrast with the significant associations found for orientation and executive function
This suggests that the cognitive benefits of social interaction patterns may be domain-specific
Methods
Participants were classified into four longitudinal social engagement pattern groups based on 9-year trajectories.
The four groups were: continuous online/no social interaction, continuous face-to-face, continuous mixed, and changes group
Classification was based on longitudinal patterns of social engagement over the 9-year study period (2012–2021)
The 'changes' group captured participants who shifted between social interaction modes over time
This classification approach distinguished sustained modes of engagement from variable engagement
Hu X, Yu M, Li G, Zhang H, Chen H, Li B. (2026). The relationship between social interaction patterns and cognitive trajectory in older adult: evidence from ELSA.. BMC public health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-26446-w