Social ties might not only predict power or influence over others, but also may have an effect on cognitive health as we age. In the New York Times article Forget Something? Then Read This, Richard Friedman discusses the importance of socializing in old age. Friedman mentions that scientists have known for a long time that social ties can effect mortality, but only recently have the seen that social ties can affect mental health and well-being, thanks to a study by Laura Fratiglioni at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Dr. Fratiglioni studied 1200 people with varying social networks over 3 years and found that those with the weakest social ties were 60% more likely to be affected by diminishing mental health and dementia.

As we face an aging population from the baby boomer era, as well as increasing cases of Alzheimer’s, mental health for the middle-aged and elderly will become much more prevalent in our daily lives. As college students, the effects aging population will hit us directly in the next few years as our parents grow older. Results from this study can be used to justify increasing the amount of socialization older people receive, perhaps then reorganizing the structure of retirement communities.

In class, we have often thought of people with the most social ties being the most powerful, most influential or most important. But as seen from this study, people with the most social connections might be the most mentally healthy in old age, bringing social connectivity to a much more personal level.