A recent study led by University College London (UCL) researchers has found that socioeconomic factors like education, occupation, and wealth can influence the chances of developing cognitive impairment or dementia in later life.
These factors also seem to play a role in whether someone can recover from early stages of cognitive impairment.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, tracked 8,442 adults in England, aged 50 and above, over ten years, from 2008/09 to 2018/19, to see how these factors affected their cognitive health.
The research team followed participants as they moved between different states of cognitive health: healthy, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia. They even looked at cases where people improved, going from mild cognitive impairment back to a healthy cognitive state.
Information about the participants’ education, job type, and financial situation was gathered through a survey, providing a broad picture of each person’s background. Cognitive health was assessed using various sources, such as a doctor’s diagnosis, cognitive tests, and self-reported symptoms.
By examining how long participants spent in each cognitive state and their likelihood of transitioning to conditions like dementia, researchers gained a clearer understanding of how socioeconomic factors impact cognitive health.
The study also took into account demographic factors, including age, sex, and marital status, to ensure that the findings were comprehensive.
The results revealed that people with higher socioeconomic status—particularly those with education beyond secondary school, professional or managerial jobs, and greater wealth—were less likely to experience cognitive decline.
For example, those with post-secondary education (such as a college degree) had a 43% lower risk of moving from a healthy cognitive state to mild cognitive impairment compared to those with only primary or secondary education.
Wealth also played a key role; individuals in the wealthiest third of the group were 26% less likely to progress from mild cognitive impairment to dementia than those in the lowest wealth bracket.
Interestingly, the study also found that people from more advantaged backgrounds were more likely to recover from mild cognitive impairment.
Wealthier participants were 56% more likely to return to a healthy cognitive state, and those with post-secondary education or certain job types were 81% more likely to improve, compared to those from less advantaged backgrounds.
Dr. Dorina Cadar, the senior author of the study from UCL’s Department of Behavioral Science and Health, emphasized the importance of these findings, noting that wealth, education, and occupation not only lower the risk of worsening cognitive health but also increase the chances of recovery.
This potential to recover, she pointed out, is essential for improving quality of life in older age and easing the long-term strain on health care systems, families, and society.
Although the study could not determine exactly why certain socioeconomic factors impact cognitive health, the authors proposed a few explanations.
Lead researcher and Ph.D. candidate Aswathikutty Gireesh from UCL’s Epidemiology & Health Care department explained that mental stimulation from education and intellectually challenging work might help build a “brain reserve.”
This reserve could act as a defense against cognitive decline. In addition, people with higher education and wealth often have better access to health care and resources like healthy food, exercise options, and preventive medical care, which all support brain health.
These resources may even help stabilize or improve cognitive function if early signs of impairment are detected.
The researchers hope their findings will spark further exploration into how wealth and other socioeconomic factors might help protect against cognitive decline.
Understanding these connections could lead to social policies that promote brain health across all income levels, potentially reducing the impact of cognitive impairment on both individuals and society.
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The research findings can be found in Scientific Reports.
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