As people age, it is common to experience some memory lapses or slower thinking. Although this is often a normal part of aging, it can still affect a person’s quality of life. Scientists have been investigating ways to slow or prevent cognitive decline, and growing evidence points to the potential role of social interaction.

Recently, a study using rats found that long-term social connection may help protect the brain from age-related memory decline. This work, titled “The impact of long-term social housing on biconditional association task performance and neuron ensembles in the anterior cingulate cortex and the hippocampal CA3 region of aged rats,” was recently published in Aging-US (Volume 17, Issue 9).

Full blog - https://aging-us.org/2025/10/how-long-term-social-connection-supports-brain-health-and-memory-in-aging/

Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206310

Corresponding author - Anne M. Dankert - adankert@unc.edu

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poNnPz1ti6Q

Sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article - 
https://aging.altmetric.com/details/email_updates?id=10.18632%2Faging.206310

Subscribe for free publication alerts from Aging - https://www.aging-us.com/subscribe-to-toc-alerts

Keywords - aging, aging, environmental enrichment, working memory, complex cognition, immediate early genes

To learn more about the journal, please visit our website at https://www.Aging-US.com​​ and connect with us on social media at:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AgingUS/
X - https://twitter.com/AgingJrnl
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/agingjrnl/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@AgingJournal
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging/
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/aging-us.bsky.social
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/AgingUS/
Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/1X4HQQgegjReaf6Mozn6Mc

MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM

Aging-US

How Long-Term Social Connection Supports Brain Health and Memory in Aging

Aging-US is dedicated to advancing our understanding of the biological mechanisms that drive aging and the development of age-related diseases. Our mission is to serve as a platform for high-quality research that uncovers the cellular, molecular, and systemic processes underlying aging, and translates these insights into strategies to extend healthspan and delay the onset of chronic disease.

Read about the Aging (Aging-US) Scientific Integrity Process: https://aging-us.com/scientific-integrity

How Long-Term Social Connection Supports Brain Health and Memory in Aging

Aging-US Podcast