A recent study has revealed that persistent financial stress may be linked to accelerated brain aging and an increased risk of cognitive decline with age.
The researchers pointed out that long-term poverty may be one of the factors affecting brain health during different stages of life.
The study showed that the impact of financial difficulties was more pronounced among men, people who grew up in difficult social and economic environments, and those with a higher genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease.
The study's findings were published in the journal "Innovations in Aging," after researchers from University College London (UCL) analyzed data from 2,759 people in the United Kingdom as part of a long-term British study that has been tracking the health of participants since 1946.
The study tracked the income levels of participants' households at ages 26, 43, and 53, and classified those who were in the bottom 20% of income on at least two occasions as persistently low-income earners, a category that made up about one in six participants.
In identifying financial difficulties, researchers relied on indicators such as the inability to cover daily needs with available income or facing difficulties in paying bills.
The results showed that people who experienced persistent financial hardship during early and mid-adulthood scored lower on cognitive ability tests when they reached age 53.
Brain scans of participants aged 69 to 71 also revealed a decline in brain health indicators among those with low incomes compared to others.
Dr. Jack Wills, from the Lifelong Learning and Ageing Unit at University College London, said that most previous studies have focused on the impact of financial distress over a specific period of time, while this study allows for tracking the impact of accumulating financial difficulties over decades, which is associated with a greater decline in cognitive health than temporary periods of distress.
Researchers believe the reason may be that ongoing financial pressures put the brain under chronic stress, which can affect the areas responsible for attention, decision-making, and information processing.
The researchers added that the findings are of particular importance given the rising number of families facing financial pressures due to the cost of living crisis, stressing the need to provide support to the most vulnerable groups.
The researchers emphasized that supporting families facing financial pressures and reducing chronic poverty may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and developing dementia in the future.
Dr. Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at the Alzheimer's Association, said the study confirms that dementia is not only linked to health factors, but is also affected by social and economic factors.
