Social engagement is a vital component of psychological and physical well-being linked to better health and a longer life, yet many older adults struggle to maintain relationships that support these outcomes.

New research from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore finds that changes in the brain’s intrinsic functional connectivity networks fully account for the decline in sociability observed with aging.

Sociability is a trait encompassing communication effectiveness, emotional management, and social assertiveness, that tends to diminish with age. Older adults, particularly those who live alone, are at increased risk of isolation, limiting forms of social participation.