Analysing data from more than 3000 study participants, University of Queensland researchers found that people who took part in group social activities had reduced mental decline and memory loss than those who did not.

The study recorded participants’ engagement in a range of group and one-on-one social activities and their performance on standard tests of memory, fluency and orientation.

It showed that social group activities were more important than one-to-one relationships in slowing cognitive decline, and that the effect became more pronounced with increasing age.

Co-author Dr Tegan Cruwys, from UQ’s School of Psychology, said the findings provided important information about the types of social relationships people should invest in to keep themselves mentally active and independent for longer. 

“In this context, it is not any social relationship, but active engagement in social groups that makes the most difference,” Dr Cruwys said.

“When we consider the overall costs for a yet-to-be-invented drug that could reduce an 80-year-old’s cognitive age by a decade, it seems a prudent investment to encourage older people to stay active in social groups.”