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Loneliness may be silently eroding your memory, new research reveals

Published

4 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Feeling lonely may take a toll on older adults’ memory — but it may not speed up cognitive decline, according to a new study.

Researchers from Colombia, Spain and Sweden analyzed data from more than 10,000 adults ages 65 to 94 across 12 European countries and found those who reported higher levels of loneliness did worse on memory tests at the start of the study, according to research published this month in the journal Aging & Mental Health.

Over a seven-year period, however, memory decline occurred at a similar rate regardless of how lonely participants felt.

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“The finding that loneliness significantly impacted memory, but not the speed of decline in memory over time was a surprising outcome,” lead author Dr. Luis Carlos Venegas-Sanabria of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Universidad del Rosario said in a statement.

“It suggests that loneliness may play a more prominent role in the initial state of memory than in its progressive decline,” Venegas-Sanabria said, adding that the findings highlight the importance of addressing loneliness as a factor in cognitive performance.

The findings add to debate about whether loneliness contributes to dementia risk. While loneliness and social isolation are often considered risk factors for cognitive decline, research results have been mixed.

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The study looked at data from the long-running Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), which tracked 10,217 older adults between 2012 and 2019. Participants were asked to recall words immediately and after a delay to measure memory performance.

Loneliness was assessed using three questions about how often participants felt isolated, left out or lacking companionship.

About 8% of participants reported high levels of loneliness at the outset. That group tended to be older, more likely to be female and more likely to have conditions such as depression.

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Researchers found that those with higher loneliness had lower scores on both immediate and delayed memory tests at baseline. Still, all groups — regardless of loneliness level — experienced similar declines in memory over time.

The results suggest loneliness may not directly accelerate the progression of memory loss, though it remains linked to poorer cognitive performance overall.

Experts warn, however, that the findings should not be interpreted to mean loneliness is harmless.

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“The finding that lonely older adults start with worse memory but don’t decline faster is actually the most interesting part of the paper, and I think it’s easy to misread,” said Jordan Weiss, PhD, a scientific advisor and aging expert at Assisted Living Magazine and a professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

“It likely means loneliness does its damage earlier in life, well before people show up in a study like this at 65-plus,” Weiss told Fox News Digital.

He suggested that by older age, long-term social patterns may already be established, making it harder to detect when the effects of loneliness first took hold.

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“By the time you’re measuring someone in their late 60s, decades of social connection patterns are already baked in,” he said.

Weiss, who was not involved in the research, added that loneliness may coincide with other health conditions, and noted that participants who felt more isolated also had higher rates of depression, high blood pressure and diabetes. The link, he said, may reflect a cluster of health risks rather than a direct cause.

Amy Morin, a Florida-based psychotherapist and author, said the findings reflect a broader pattern in research on loneliness and brain health, and that the relationship may be more complex than it appears.

“The evidence shows there’s a link between loneliness and cognitive decline but there’s no direct evidence of a cause and effect relationship,” she said. “So while they can go hand-in-hand, it’s not clear that loneliness contributes to dementia.”

Morin added that loneliness, which can fluctuate, may not be the root of the problem, but rather a symptom of other underlying mental or physical health issues.

She said staying socially and mentally engaged is crucial for overall brain health.

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“It’s important to be proactive about social activities,” Morin said. “Joining a book club, having coffee with a friend, or attending faith-based services can be a powerful way to maintain connections in older age.”

The researchers also suggested screening for loneliness be incorporated into routine cognitive assessments as one way to support healthy aging.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.

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Oklahoma wins NCAA women’s gymnastics championship for fourth time in five years

Published

4 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Addison Blake

University of Oklahoma gymnastics star Faith Torrez came up with a clutch championship-winning routine for her team in the NCAA championships Saturday, extending the program’s dynasty.

Torrez nailed the final routine on the floor exercise as the last competitor on the final rotation to put the Sooners ahead for their fourth championship in five years. It was the last routine of her college career.

Torrez scored a 9.950 to give the Sooners a team total of 198.1625, just ahead of LSU at 198.0750.

Florida was third, while Minnesota closed the best season in program history by finishing fourth.

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“It means everything. I’m so proud of this team,” Torrez said after winning the NCAA all-around title Thursday. “To do it with them, I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else.”

LSU initially surged to the front through three rotations thanks in part to a perfect 10 on the vault by Kailin Chio, the first perfect score awarded at the national championships since 2023.

The Tigers finished on the balance beam while the Sooners went to the floor exercise. At NCAA competitions, six gymnasts compete in each event, with the lowest score being dropped, and the top five scores added together to produce the team total.

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LSU’s slim 0.0750 lead left it little margin for error. A fall by Lexi Zeiss on the beam, which came after Zeiss was forced to endure a prolonged wait as judges worked on teammate Kylie Coen’s score, opened the door just enough for the Sooners to push through.

The Tigers rebounded behind Konnor McClain, the 2022 US Gymnastics national champion, and Chio.

The meet came down to the final two competitors, Torrez on the floor and Chio on the beam.

Torrez, who battled injuries all season and didn’t even compete in the all-around until nationals, put together a dynamic 90-second performance, forcing Chio to be perfect for the Tigers to win.

Chio, who had 13 perfect tens during the season, was dazzling, but her score of 9.900 was not quite enough to derail Oklahoma’s dynasty.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Dylan Sprouse tackled an alleged burglar at his home after wife Barbara Palvin spotted intruder: reports

Published

4 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Addison Blake

Dylan Sprouse stopped an alleged burglar from entering his home.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the 33-year-old “Suite Life of Zack and Cody” star and his wife, Victoria’s Secret model, Barbara Palvin called the police around 12:30 a.m. on Friday, when she saw an unknown man on their property.

After Palvin reported the attempted burglary, Dylan reportedly tackled the intruder to the ground and held him there until authorities arrived, per TMZ.

The LA Times reported that no one was hurt during the alleged incident and that the man, who was taken away by authorities that night and is in custody on outstanding warrants, did not enter the couple’s home.

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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for Sprouse, but has not heard back.

Palvin and Dylan met for the first time in 2018, after first connecting on Instagram when the former Disney Channel star messaged her. They made their relationship Instagram official later that year in June, and got married in July 2023 in Palvin’s home country of Hungary.

During an interview with People in February 2025, Palvin and Dylan shared that they try to spend as much time together as possible, with Palvin traveling to see him when he’s on set, noting they have a rule that they are “not supposed to be away from each other longer than two, three weeks.”

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“It’s definitely easier, but also, the funny thing is, the kind of big secret about the acting industry that being on set’s actually really boring, so I always kind of feel bad,” Dylan said about having her on set. “I’m always like, I hope she’s having fun.”

He later added that when his wife is on set, he looks forward to “going back to the trailer, seeing Barbara, rehearsing lines, hanging out,” adding that it “makes the whole day a lot easier for me.”

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Dylan and his twin brother, Cole Sprouse, began their acting careers at a young age, often playing the same character in various movies and TV shows, including “Grace Under Fire” and “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”

Their big break came in 2005, when they landed the role of twin boys who live in a hotel on the hit Disney Channel series, “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” and later its spin-off, “The Suite Life on Deck.”

When it came to why they chose to leave the show, Dylan told Vulture it all came down to creative differences.

“I mean, we had a really awesome idea for where the show needed to go. We were 18,” he said. “If that isn’t old enough to know exactly what the show needs, then…well, I would beg to disagree.”

After the end of the show in 2011, both he and his brother took a break from acting to focus on their education, with Dylan graduating from NYU in 2015.

While Cole went on to star in another high-profile show, “Riverdale,” Dylan went another route, co-founding All-Wise Meadery in Brooklyn, New York, which specializes in brewing mead, and acting sporadically.

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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4 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Addison Blake

Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.

Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.

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She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.

Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.

Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.

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It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.

Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.

Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.