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Topic

Impact of Social Support and Loneliness on Structural Brain Health in Older and Younger Adults: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

Department of Psychology

Date & location

• Monday, April 13, 2026

• 11:30 A.M.

• Hut R

• Room 103

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Stuart MacDonald, Department of Psychology, ̽��ϵ�� (Supervisor)

• Dr. Jodie Gawryluk, Department of Psychology, UVic (Co-Supervisor) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Mariko Sakamoto, School of Nursing, UVic 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Prof. Danielle Geller, Department of Writing, UVic

   

Abstract

Background: Lifestyle factors, like social support and loneliness, have known associations with neurocognitive health yet their precise impacts on specific neural structures remain unclear. Notably, the differential impact of social support types and the influence of both loneliness and social support types across the lifespan are understudied topics. The current study sought to explore the associations of loneliness, emotional support (ES), and instrumental support (IS) with grey matter volume within healthy (i) younger and (ii) older adults, as well as (iii) to compare differences in these associations between age groups. Methods: Participants (N = 164) were retrieved from the Neurocognitive Aging Data Release on Open Neuro and separated into two age groups: younger (N = 82, 55% female) and older (N = 82, 55% female) adults. Participants underwent a 3T T1 MRI and completed assessments from the NIH Emotion Toolbox to assess perceived loneliness, ES, and IS. Analyses examined the correlations between grey matter volume and self-reported loneliness, ES, and IS within-groups. Results: No significant associations of loneliness, ES, or IS with grey matter volume were found within the younger adult group. Older adult within-group analyses revealed a positive association of loneliness and bilateral cerebral white matter volume, and a negative association of ES and these same regions. These results suggest there are substantial differences in how loneliness and social support affect younger and older adults. Conclusions: Findings suggest that younger adults are less impacted by loneliness and social support and highlight how the impact of loneliness and social support on neutral structures are influenced by other additional factors.