Objective: To determine the longitudinal impact of loneliness on parkinsonism, relative to the longitudinal impact of parkinsonism on loneliness, in parkinsonian adults.

Background: The link between loneliness and parkinsonism has been demonstrated, both in community-based samples and in those with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The majority of these studies have demonstrated this link cross-sectionally, thus it is unclear which of the two has more longitudinal import.

Method: We selected individuals from several Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center cohorts who had completed parkinsonism (modified Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, Part III) and loneliness (brief de Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale) ratings, alongside two or more key parkinsonism features and two or more follow-ups within a 15-year period. Participant-grouped multilevel models alternated loneliness-parkinsonism as outcome-predictor, and included time, time-predictor interaction, and demographics as covariates.

Results: 1,700 individuals (75.6% female, Mage=80.4, Meducation=14.8 years; 64.9% White) were included and followed over 5.3 years on average. In the loneliness model, parkinsonism (B=.08) and time (B=.15), but not time×parkinsonism (B=.03), were significant predictors (conditional-R2=.61, marginal-R2=.07). In the parkinsonism model, loneliness (B=.07), time (B=.25), and time×loneliness (B=.11) were significant predictors (conditional-R2=.61, marginal-R2=.13).

Conclusion: The loneliness→parkinsonism model had greater fixed-effect variance explained, and both time, and time×loneliness had greater predictive power, relative to the parkinsonism→loneliness model. In sum, although the relationship is bidirectional, loneliness has more prospective weight in preceding more severe parkinsonism with steeper rate of decline.

Table 1

References: González DA, Tosin MH de S, Goetz CG. The plight of loneliness in Parkinson’s disease: New opportunities. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2022;105:145-148. doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2022.10.029

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/loneliness-accelerates-parkinsonism-decline-in-parkinsonian-community-dwelling-older-adults/