Social Relationships Protect Our Brains
Human beings are social animals. All the advances we have made have been possible thanks to social relationships : culture, civilizations, generation of knowledge… Relationships are also a fundamental need at a much lower level.
Our personality is forged in social relationships. These are a way to meet personal goals. They are a source from which we can meet our basic needs.
We need physical contact, privacy and belonging to a group. This gives us enormous security and reassures us. Social support is one of the greatest protective factors against all kinds of disruption.
On the other hand, lack of relationships or social isolation are closely linked to psychological disorders and discomfort. Social relationships are so essential for our development and beneficial for our brain that they can delay or minimize the onset of cognitive impairment. How? ‘Or’ What ? We explain it to you in this article.
Cognitive reserve
Our brain shows plasticity. It has the ability to change to function better and adapt to new circumstances. As in the case of brain damage, for example. The concept of cognitive reserve is closely related to neuroplasticity.
Cognitive reserve is the brain’s ability to tolerate or delay the onset of pathological symptoms resulting from age or from a pathology, such as Alzheimer’s disease. In other words, the greater the cognitive reserve, the later or gradually these symptoms will appear.
Healthy habits help keep our brains active. For example, the practice of stimulating activities or occupations. But also mastery of two or more languages, the acquisition of new knowledge, the practice of sports and enjoying free time. All of these activities have been shown to improve our cognitive reserve capacity.
Social relations
Having social interactions and maintaining an active network of friends has been linked to many health factors. Among people who are more socially active, there is a lower rate of depression and a lower frequency of illness. There is also better immune function and a lower risk of heart attack.
On the other hand, it seems that the way people interact socially can be a form of intellectual enrichment. A rich social life allows us to overcome cognitive challenges by talking with others. For example: having to pay attention to what a speaker is saying and remembering relevant information is a source of intellectual wealth.
In addition, socialization causes us to come into conflict with others. This improves our problem-solving abilities. Likewise, making plans, setting common goals, or anticipating the reactions of others gives us the opportunity to improve our executive functions.
Social relationships and the brain
On the one hand, it has been argued that social relationships contribute to increasing cognitive reserve. This mechanism has been verified by several studies.
For example, Bennet and colleagues found that social network size modulated the association between Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive performance. In other words, it was found that even in the case of Alzheimer’s disease, people with more contacts had less deterioration.
On the other hand, social relationships offer other benefits that can indirectly protect our brain. Stress is a deadly weapon for our body and our brain. Relationships comfort us and give us new perspectives.
In addition, they offer us emotional support and the possibility of making plans. They are thus an enormous source of resources to cope with stress. Who hasn’t felt better after a night out with friends?
Likewise, the quantity and good quality of social relationships is associated with a lower level of depression. Depression has also been associated with poorer cognitive performance and a risk for dementia.
In addition to all of the above, relationships help us maintain a more active and healthy lifestyle. According to one study, when we interact with others, we tend to conform to social norms and engage in healthier activities. A healthy lifestyle is also beneficial for our brain and our cognitive abilities.
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