Socioeconomic factors like education, occupation, and wealth play a significant role in determining the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment in later life, a new study by University College London (UCL) reveals.
The researchers assessed cognitive health progression by tracking transitions between states of cognitive health, mild impairment, and dementia. They discovered that people with higher education and more intellectually demanding jobs likely build a “brain reserve” that offers protection against cognitive decline, noted lead author Aswathikutty Gireesh from UCL’s Epidemiology and Health Care department.
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The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that those from socioeconomically advantaged backgrounds had a reduced risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Moreover, such individuals had a greater chance of reversing impairment and returning to a healthy cognitive state, said senior author Dr. Dorina Cadar from UCL’s Department of Behavioural Science and Health.
Results indicated that post-secondary education was linked to a 43% lower risk of progressing to mild cognitive impairment, while those in the wealthiest third of the population had a 26% reduced risk of advancing from mild impairment to dementia. Wealth also increased the likelihood of recovery; wealthier individuals were 56% more likely to regain cognitive health, while those with higher education or skilled occupations were 81% more likely to improve.
The study also highlighted that individuals with better socioeconomic backgrounds often have greater access to healthcare, nutritious diets, exercise, and preventive care — all factors that support cognitive health, added Gireesh.