Social networks and their influence on brain aging

We have entered the age of the social network, and this metaphor is increasingly used to describe our interconnectedness as a species.  Evolutionary biologists have, for decades, argued that the tendency to transmit information through person-to-person networks is a deep-seated attribute of human beings, and that small cooperative, egalitarian networks have provided a selective advantage that enabled our ancestors to secure more food (hunting large game) and potable water, fend off competing tribes, and transmit knowledge across generations, ultimately rendering forebears more likely to reproduce and survive. Evolution has thus favored larger brains and greater cognitive and emotional capacity to respond to the demands of increasingly complex social environments, and we now are born into highly complex and ubiquitous social networks that exert a powerful influence on the health of our species. However, in contemporary Western cultures, the cognitively frail face a deep stigma and are often removed from networks and opportunities for purposeful relationships, personal development, and meaningful contribution. There has been a recent push to establish "dementia-friendly communities" in countries around the world and create shared spaces for the young and old. Data from one such shared space -- The Intergenerational School in Cleveland, OH -- will be shared as well as examples from other cultural contexts.