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Objectives We used data from the TalaSurvey study to examine associations between dental health experiences, social network characteristics, and levels of behavioral and psychological acculturation in one location in the American Midwest. Methods Starting in parishes and community organizations, we identified adults of Mexican origin living in Indianapolis, who were 1st‐ or 2nd‐generation immigrants from Tala, Mexico. Using a social networks methodology and following extensive formative research, we created an egocentric social network survey and administered it via face‐to‐face interviews. We identified the peers (alters) in interviewees’ (egos) personal networks. We asked egos about multiple oral health and dental care variables for self and for alters. Acculturation (psychological and behavioral) was measured with a validated tool. Through logistic and negative binomial regression, we examined the effects of acculturation and network composition on ego's dental insurance status, dental office visits, and the reason for most recent dental office visit. Results A total of 332 egos (mean age 36; 63% female) were interviewed: 90% were born in Mexico; 45% had completed elementary school or lower; and most had low income. Each ego named 3.9 (SD±1.9) alters in his/her personal network, for a total of 1299 alters (mean age 39; 61% female). Both behavioral acculturation and psychological acculturation were moderately associated with dental insurance coverage, and greater behavioral acculturation predicted more frequent dental care. More psychologically acculturated egos were more likely to seek preventive care. Further, egos with more highly educated networks sought care more frequently and for preventive purposes, net of ego's own education and acculturation. Conclusions This study contextualizes acculturation of Mexican Americans within the personal networks in which oral health discussion takes place. The findings underscore the critical importance of acculturation and social network factors in shaping a subgroup of Latinos’ orientation toward dental care.

Research suggests social connectedness may help older adults with dementia maintain cognitive functionality and quality of life. However, little is known about its specific social and biological mechanisms. This paper proposes two pathways through social bridging (i.e., cognitive enrichment through expansive social networks) and bonding (i.e., neuroendocrine benefits of integration in cohesive social networks). We provide preliminary evidence for these pathways using neuroimaging, cognitive, and egocentric social network data from the Social Networks and Alzheimer's Disease (SNAD) study (N = 280). We found that network size, density, and presence of weak ties (i.e., social bridging) moderated the association between brain atrophy and cognitive function, while marriage/cohabitation (i.e., social bonding) moderated the association between perceived stress and cognitive function. We argue that social connectedness may have downstream implications for multiple pathophysiological processes in cognitive aging, even negating existing structural damage to the brain, making it a strong candidate for clinical or policy intervention.

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Background and Objectives Social connectedness has been linked prospectively to cognitive aging, but there is little agreement about the social mechanisms driving this relationship. This study evaluated nine measures of social connectedness, focusing on two forms of social enrichment – access to an expansive and diverse set of loosely connected individuals (i.e., social bridging) and integration in a supportive network of close ties (i.e., social bonding). Research Design and Methods This study used egocentric network and cognitive data from 311 older adults in the Social Networks in Alzheimer Disease (SNAD) study. Linear regressions were used to estimate the association between social connectedness and global cognitive function, episodic memory, and executive function. Results Measures indicative of social bridging (larger network size, lower density, presence of weak ties, and proportion non-kin) were consistently associated with better cognitive outcomes, while measures of social bonding (close ties, multiplex support, higher frequency of contact, better relationship quality, and being married) largely produced null effects. Discussion and Implications These findings suggest that the protective benefits of social connectedness for cognitive function and memory may operate primarily through a cognitive reserve mechanism that is driven by irregular contact with a larger and more diverse group of peripheral others.