Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2025

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing
Published on: January 24, 2020
Neighborhood 'Disamenities': local barriers and cognitive function among Black and white aging adults
Wenshan Yu1,2, Michael Esposito3,4, Mao Li5,3
1Program in Survey and Data Science, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, 426 Thompson Street, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA. yuwens@umich.edu.
Background:
This study examined the association between cognitive function and three neighborhood 'disamenities' that may pose local barriers to utilizing community resources and increase risk for cognitive decline.
Method:
Using national data from 21,165 urban- and suburban-dwelling Black and white adults (mean age: 67 years) in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study, we assessed global cognitive function through a factor score of five cognitive screening tests. General Additive Mixed Models (GAMM) tested whether residing in areas with more polluting sites, highways, and limited walkability was associated with worse cognitive function.
Results:
Limited walkability and the presence of polluting sites had a significant negative association with cognitive function after controlling for individual and neighborhood factors.
Conclusion:
Neighborhood disamenities may be linked to cognitive function among aging residents. Identifying neighborhood factors that pose barriers to accessing community resources may inform upstream policy applications to reduce risk for cognitive decline.
More Related Videos
10:13Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
09:01A Method for Investigating Age-related Differences in the Functional Connectivity of Cognitive Control Networks Associated with Dimensional Change Card Sort Performance
Published on: May 7, 2014
Related Concept Videos
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Relationship Formation
Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual....
Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...