New Study Finds Link Between Wealth and Cognitive Health
A recent study published in Scientific Reports has discovered that highly educated professionals in the wealthiest third of the population are less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment and have that condition progress to dementia.
Education and Wealth: A Winning Combination
According to the study, a college education was linked to a 43% lower chance of moving from a healthy cognitive state to mild cognitive impairment. Additionally, being in the wealthiest third of the population was associated with a 26% reduced chance of advancing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
The Connection between Education and Cognitive Health
Lead study author Aswathikutty Gireesh of University College London (UCL) explained, "It is possible that education and intellectually demanding jobs provide more mental stimulation and help to build a stronger brain reserve to help protect individuals against cognitive impairment and dementia."
The Study’s Methodology
The UCL researchers followed 8,442 UK middle-aged adults over a decade to see how socioeconomic factors influenced changes in cognitive status. Participants completed a questionnaire about their education, occupation, and wealth, and researchers ascertained their mental status via medical diagnoses, cognitive test results, and self-reported symptoms. They tracked how participants moved between various cognitive states — healthy, mild impairment, and dementia — while also considering that brain function could improve with time.
Recovery from Mild Cognitive Impairment
The study found that muckety-mucks were 56% more likely to recover from mild cognitive impairment and return to a healthy cognitive state compared to people with little wealth. Those who attended college were 81% more likely to better their brain.
Conclusion
The researchers are calling for policies that support mental and cognitive well-being across all income levels. They hope their work spurs additional research into how socioeconomic factors, particularly wealth, help protect against cognitive decline.
FAQs
Q: What is mild cognitive impairment?
A: Mild cognitive impairment is a condition in which a person experiences memory loss, difficulty with language, or other cognitive changes, but not severe enough to be classified as dementia.
Q: What are some risk factors for dementia?
A: Risk factors for dementia include lower levels of education, hearing loss, high blood pressure, tobacco use, obesity, depression, diabetes, excess alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, air pollution, social isolation, vision loss, high cholesterol, and physical inactivity.
Q: Can exercising lower dementia risk?
A: Yes, a recent study found that exercising just once or twice a week can lower dementia risk as well as frequent workouts.
Q: How many Americans have been diagnosed with dementia?
A: Nearly 7 million Americans have been diagnosed with dementia.
