New DZNE study: Social support reduces depressive symptoms in people with dementia

The presence of confidants, belonging, and empathy in the social environment have a protective effect against depression in people with dementia. This is shown by new research findings from a study by  Dr. Iris Blotenberg, postdoctoral researcher in the research group of Prof. Jochen René Thyrian at the DZNE site in Rostock/Greifswald.

Depressive symptoms are common in people with dementia. They not only significantly impair the quality of life of those affected, but can also have a negative impact on the progression of the disease. Blotenberg's study shows that people with dementia who feel emotionally integrated suffer significantly less frequently from depressive symptoms.

The study is based on data from the long-term intervention study “DelpHi-MV” („Demenz: lebensweltorientierte und personenzentrierte Hilfen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern“) conducted by DZNE and was funded by the non-profit  Alzheimer Forschung Initiative e. V.. The results were recently published in the journal “Innovation in Aging” of the Gerontological Society of America.

To the German version of this article

Original publication
The Role of Social Support for Depressive Symptoms in Dementia: A Four-Year Longitudinal Study. 
Iris Blotenberg et al.
Innovation in Aging (2025).
DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaf047