The global epidemic of loneliness has physical health consequences that rival those of smoking and obesity. This latest behavioral epidemic affects all populations, though older adults and people with mental illnesses have particularly high risks for loneliness due to increased risk for social isolation. However, the underlying mechanisms of loneliness, the impact on health, and efficacy of interventions has not been fully elucidated. This presentation will provide an overview of evidence-based science of loneliness and its relationship to mental, cognitive and physical health in a variety of populations.

**This content was captured for 2020 APA On Demand and may reference information from various sources and terminology from previous editions of the DSM.

Course References

• Biddle, K.D., et al. Social Engagement and Amyloid-beta-Related Cognitive Decline in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019 Nov;27(11):1247-1256.
• Donovan, K.J., et al. Association of Higher Cortical Amyloid Burden With Loneliness in Cognitively Normal Older Adults. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016 Dec 1;73(12):1230-1237.
• Donovan, K.J., et al. Loneliness, depression and cognitive function in older U.S. adults. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017 May;32(5):564-573.

Learning Objectives

• Define loneliness as used in the research studies
• Describe the subjective and objective consequences of loneliness in a community-based cohort of adults
• Describe the mechanisms that mediate the link between loneliness and cognitive functioning in older adults
• Apply research findings on predictors of treatment nonresponse to clinical practice with depressed older adults

Target Audience

Psychiatrists, Residents/Fellows

Estimated Time to Complete

Estimated Duration: 45 minutes
Begin Date: January 1, 2021
End Date: January 1, 2024

How to Earn Credit

Participants who wish to earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ or a certificate of participation may do so by completing all sections of the course including the evaluation. After evaluating the program, course participants will be provided with an opportunity to claim hours of participation and print an official CME certificate (physicians) or certificate of participation (non-physicians) showing the completion date and hours earned. 

Continuing Education Credit

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. 

The APA designates this enduring CME activity for a maximum of 0.75AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Faculty and Planner Disclosures

Program Presenters

• Ellen Lee, M.D., Assistant Professor in Residence, Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Nancy Donovan, M.D., Associate Researcher, Massachusetts General Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Associate Psychiatrist, Brigham and Women's Hospital. Disclosures - Salary Support: Esai, Eli Lilly.
• Dilip Jeste, M.D., Senior Associate Dean for Healthy Aging and Senior Care, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Estelle and Edgar Levi Memorial Chair in Aging, Director of the Sam and Rose Stein Institute for Research on Aging at UC San Diego, and Co-Director of the UC San Diego-IBM Center on Artificial Intelligence for Healthy Living. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Program Planners

• Tristan Gorrindo, M.D., Director of Education, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Katie Putnam, Membership Development Specialist, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.
• Ally Brown, Senior Program Manager, Online Learning, American Psychiatric Association. Reports no financial relationships with commercial interests.

Accessibility for Participants with Disabilities

The American Psychiatric Association is committed to ensuring accessibility of its website to people with disabilities. If you have trouble accessing any of APA’s online resources, please contact us at 202-559-3900 for assistance.

Technical Requirements

This internet-based CME activity is best experienced using any of the following:

• The latest and 2nd latest public versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari
• Internet Explorer 11+

This Web site requires that JavaScript and session cookies be enabled. Certain activities may require additional software to view multimedia, presentation, or printable versions of the content. These activities will be marked as such and will provide links to the required software. That software may be: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Windows Media Player.

Optimal System Configuration:

• Browser: Google Chrome (latest and 2nd latest version), Safari (latest and 2nd latest version), Internet Explorer 11.0+, Firefox (latest and 2nd latest version), or Microsoft Edge (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Operating System: Windows versions 8.1+, Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) +, Android (latest and 2nd latest version), or iOS/iPad OS (latest and 2nd latest version)
• Internet Connection: 1 Mbps or higher

Minimum Requirements:

• Windows PC: Windows 8.1 or higher; 1 GB (for 32-bit)/2 GB (for 64-bit) or higher RAM; Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM driver; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content
• Macintosh: Mac OS X 10.5 or higher with latest updates installed; Intel, PowerPC G5, or PowerPC G4 (867MHz or faster) processor; 512 MB or higher RAM; audio playback with speakers for programs with video content

For assistance: Contact educme@psych.org for questions about this activity | Contact learningcenter@psych.org for technical assistance