Effect of loneliness on social exclusion among older adults: A functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Loneliness is a significant issue among older adults. However, few studies have explored the brain mechanisms underlying changes in social behavior related to loneliness among older adults. Therefore, this study aimed to examine how loneliness affects the response towards social exclusion among community-dwelling older people. The sample consisted of 37 older adults who made up the lonely (n = 21) and not-lonely control (n = 16) groups based on their scores on a loneliness scale. All participants underwent fMRI scanning whilst completing the classic Cyberball task. We found that the lonely group showed greater brain activation compared to those of the not-lonely group in response to the exclusion condition of the Cyberball task (versus inclusion condition), including the prefrontal lobes and anterior cingulate cortex. Based on the existing literature on Cyberball studies (including meta-analysis), the activations may represent a state of interoceptive reflection with a painful experience during the Cyberball task for the lonely older adults. The results contribute to improving our understanding of social experiences of older adults, and further unpack the potential negative consequences associated with loneliness.