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The health risks of loneliness and isolation have been known for some time, but more recently research has shown the specific effects in the brain. Finding ways to make connections with other people is the best "medicine" to alleviate the mental and physical effects of loneliness.

Research we're watching

Mental stress can cause arteries throughout the body to constrict. In people with heart disease, this effect can reduce blood supply to the heart muscle, a phenomenon known as mental stress–induced ischemia. New research suggests that this problem may affect women differently from men.

For the study, 678 adults (average age 63) delivered a speech while researchers measured their blood pressure and heart rate, took imaging pictures of their hearts, and measured the constriction of tiny arteries in their fingers. In women, mental stress–induced ischemia mostly resulted from constriction of tiny arteries. The resulting greater resistance requires the heart to use more force in pumping blood. In contrast, the ischemia seen in men was mostly due to a rise in blood pressure and heart rate. The findings are yet another reminder for people to find ways to avoid and manage mental stress. But they also hint that women's hearts may be more vulnerable to this problem. The study was published online Dec. 21, 2017, by the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology.

If you are noticing problems in yourself or a loved one, here's where to turn for help and support.

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You're talking with a friend about a movie you saw recently, but can't remember the actor's name. Last week you found yourself upstairs, but couldn't remember what you came up to look for. Your keys are always missing. You worry: are these normal memory lapses or early signs of Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia?

"Because there has been so much attention paid lately to the aging baby boomer population, I think Alzheimer's disease is getting a lot of attention, which is leading a lot of people to believe they may have the condition," says Dr. Suzanne Salamon, associate chief of the gerontology division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Research suggests a regular meditation practice could protect against heart disease. Here's how to begin one.

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What's good for the mind also tends to be good for the heart.

The mind-calming practice of meditation may play a role in reducing your risk of heart disease, according to a scientific statement published in the Sept. 28, 2017, Journal of the American Heart Association.

You may no longer play the role of breadwinner and family man, but there are still ways to stay engaged with life.

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For most of their adult lives, men are defined by what they do and how they do it, from their chosen career to their role in the family. However, as you age, you can lose your once-defined sense of purpose � the desire to pursue goals, feel life is worth living, and have a general enthusiasm for living.

You retire, the nest empties out, and you may have accomplished most of your personal and professional goals. "What do I do for the rest of my life?" becomes a nagging question.