Figure 1.

Possible interacting mechanisms of the loneliness-health cycle with the example of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Bidirectional relationships between these constructs depict the complexity of how loneliness interacts with physical health. Light blue arrows indicate unidirectional pathways from AD to loneliness. Red arrows indicate unidirectional pathways from loneliness to AD, and green arrows indicate bidirectional pathways moderated by physical health and potential biomarkers.