Residing in less affluent neighborhoods can amplify cognitive decline, an effect that’s notably more pronounced in Mexican Americans, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and published in JAMA Network Open. This multi-institutional investigation was led by scholars from the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas and the University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth, among others.
Data from 1,614 individuals, all aged 50 and above, hailing from the Health and Aging Brain Study — Health Disparities, formed the crux of the analysis. The cohort predominantly consisted of Mexican Americans, who accounted for over half of the participants, with the remainder being non-Hispanic Whites, and an average age across the board of 66. To assess cognitive health, participants underwent a series of tests evaluating abilities in memory, language, attention, processing speed, and executive function. The researchers utilized the Area Deprivation Index to quantify neighborhood disadvantage based on factors such as poverty, education, housing, and employment.
In this assessment, it emerged that Mexican Americans generally resided in more socio-economically challenged neighborhoods, while non-Hispanic Whites tended to live in less disadvantaged areas. Of the study’s subjects, 80 Mexican Americans and 46 non-Hispanic Whites were diagnosed with dementia.
Upon controlling for variables such as age, educational attainment, and gender, the researchers discovered a link between socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods and diminished cognitive abilities for both Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic Whites. This link was particularly strong among the Mexican American cohort. Those residing in the bottom three tiers of neighborhood socio-economic status showed poorer performance in memory, attention, processing speed, and executive functions compared to their counterparts in the more affluent neighborhoods. On the other hand, non-Hispanic Whites from the second-lowest neighborhood category had declines in memory, executive function, and processing speed compared to those in the most advantaged neighborhoods.
The investigators highlighted that while neighborhood economic status is a modifiable risk factor, altering it is not straightforward. The differential impact of neighborhood disadvantage on the cognitive health of older Mexican American and non-Hispanic White adults suggests a complex interaction of personal, socio-economic, sociopolitical, and environmental variables, which varies across racial and ethnic lines. A continued effort to pinpoint and comprehend these variables is crucial for enhancing the aging experience among diverse groups. The implications of the study also point to the necessity for improvements in neighborhoods with moderate disadvantages, in addition to the most underprivileged ones.
The limited number of non-Hispanic White participants from the most deprived neighborhoods could restrict the scope of the analysis. Future research might delve into which cognitive functions are most susceptible to the influences of neighborhood disadvantage. The initiative will extend its follow-up assessments to this participant group and will broaden the scope to include African Americans.