Psychosocial stressors and cognitive function: An analysis using data from the English longitudinal study of ageing

Growing evidence suggests that psychosocial stressors-such as financial strain, caregiving responsibilities, disability, and limiting long-term illnesses-may contribute to accelerated cognitive decline in older adults. However, the heterogeneity of stressor profiles and their distinct impact on specific cognitive domains remain poorly understood.

To examine the associations between varying burdens of psychosocial stressors and cognitive function over a 10-year period using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

We used longitudinal data from wave 4 (2008-2009) to wave 9 (2018-2019) of ELSA, comprising 10,893 participants aged ≥50 years at baseline who had valid measurements of psychosocial stressors and cognitive outcomes. Psychosocial stressors-financial strain, caregiving, disability, and limiting long-term illness-were assessed as binary indicators and summed into three categories (No Stressors, One Stressor, Multiple Stressors). Cognitive function was assessed using an overall global cognition score and scores of three specific domains: memory, executive function, and orientation. Baseline associations were examined via multiple linear regression, while linear mixed-effects models evaluated longitudinal trajectories of cognitive change. All models were progressively adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and clinical covariates.

At baseline, participants reporting multiple stressors (18.2 % of the sample) had significantly lower global cognitive and executive function scores compared to those with no stressors (43.3 %). Over the 10-year follow-up, a higher stress burden predicted faster declines in global cognition, memory, and executive function. These associations remained robust after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and chronic conditions. Random intercept and random slope models yielded consistent findings, indicating a dose-response relationship between stress burden and cognitive deterioration.

Older adults experiencing multiple psychosocial stressors face an elevated risk of both lower initial cognitive function and accelerated decline over time. These findings underscore the importance of identifying and mitigating modifiable stressors-such as financial strain and caregiving demands-to potentially preserve cognitive health in later life. Interventions tailored to individuals with higher stress burdens may be especially beneficial in slowing cognitive deterioration.