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Lifetime Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Decline, and Brain Characteristics
Kristin R Krueger1, Pankaja Desai1, Todd Beck1
1Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
JAMA Network Open
|February 21, 2025
Summary
Higher socioeconomic status (SES) is linked to better cognitive function and brain structure. Interventions to improve SES throughout life are crucial, especially for Black individuals who experience lower SES.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Public Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Socioeconomic status (SES) significantly impacts cognitive function and brain structure.
- Understanding these associations is key to addressing health disparities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the longitudinal relationship between SES and cognitive decline.
- To examine the association of SES with brain characteristics.
- To determine if these associations differ between Black and White individuals.
Main Methods:
- Population-based cohort study of individuals aged 65+ in Chicago.
- Longitudinal data collection via at-home interviews from 1993-2012.
- Assessment of cognitive function and brain structure (MRI) in relation to childhood, adulthood, and lifetime SES.
Main Results:
- Higher lifetime SES correlated with better baseline global cognition and Mini-Mental State Examination scores.
- Lifetime SES was associated with healthier brain structures, including larger total brain volume and reduced white matter hyperintensities.
- SES was consistently lower for Black individuals compared to White individuals across the lifespan.
Conclusions:
- SES, particularly in adulthood, is associated with cognitive status and brain structure.
- These disparities in SES contribute to differences in cognitive trajectories over time.
- Targeted interventions to enhance SES are needed, with a focus on improving outcomes for Black individuals.
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