Recent research published by the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago indicates that loneliness could be directly tied to high systolic blood pressure in some older Americans.

The study involved 229 participants aged 50-68 years from Illinois. Even after accounting for other factors, such as access to medical services, demographic variables and psychological factors, loneliness was shown to be linked to increases as great as 30 points systolic. For instance, the scale the researchers used to measure loneliness had 6 main levels. For every increase in level, there was an associated increase of 5mmHg in systolic blood pressure, such that those ranked in the top third of the scale had systolic blood pressure that was 10-30mmHg systolic higher than those in the bottom third of the scale.

While the researchers do recognize some of the limitations of their study, they do conclude, “Given the rapidly aging U.S. population, the health risks associated with social isolation and loneliness will place a growing proportion of these physiologically vulnerable individuals at increased risk for poor cardiovascular health.”

For more information:
Hawkley L, Masi C, Berry J, Cacioppo J. Loneliness Is a Unique Predictor of Age-Related Differences in Systolic Blood Pressure. Psychology and Aging. 2006: 21 (1); 152-164. Accessed 6/29/2009 from http://psychology.uchicago.edu/about/Hawkley_Loneliness&SBP_Psych&Aging_2006-1.pdf.