Long-term financial problems have been linked to faster brain ageing.\nRecent studies show that individuals who experience continuous economic\ndifficulties from young adulthood through to middle age exhibit poorer\ncognitive and brain health.<\/p>\n
This impact is more pronounced in men, individuals who grew up in\ndisadvantaged economic conditions, and those with genetic factors that\nincrease the risk of Alzheimer\u2019s disease.<\/p>\n
The findings, reported by The Star, stem from research by University\nCollege London (UCL) which analysed data from 2,759 people in the UK.\nThese participants were part of the MRC National Survey of Health and\nDevelopment, also known as the British Cohort Study 1946.<\/p>\n
Researchers tracked the income status of participants at ages 26, 43,\nand 53. An individual was categorised as experiencing persistent low\nincome if they were in the bottom 20% of the income group at least\ntwice.<\/p>\n
Approximately one in six participants fell into this category.\nResearchers also accounted for difficulties in meeting basic needs,\nincluding challenges in managing income and paying bills.<\/p>\n
The results showed that those experiencing continuous financial\npressure or poverty during young adulthood and middle age performed\nworse on cognitive tests at age 53. Brain imaging examinations also\nshowed similar conditions; participants with lower incomes exhibited\npoorer indicators of brain health when entering their late 60s and early\n70s.<\/p>\n
According to researchers, the issue is not merely the amount of money\nowned. Prolonged economic pressure can act as chronic stress, draining\nthe mental capacity required for concentration, decision-making, and\ninformation processing.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost studies on cognitive ageing look at financial difficulty only\nat a single point in time,\u201d said Jacques Wels from the UCL unit for\nhealth and ageing throughout life. He noted that using data spanning\nseveral decades provides a different perspective, as the risk to\ncognitive health is more closely related to the accumulation of\nlong-term economic hardship rather than occasional episodes of\ndifficulty.<\/p>\n
This relationship is not uniform across all populations. The\ninfluence is stronger in men, those who experienced disadvantaged\nchildhood conditions, and participants with genetic variants associated\nwith an increased risk of Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n
These findings are particularly relevant amidst rising cost-of-living\npressures. Economic issues are no longer just about the ability to meet\ndaily needs; if they become chronic, such pressure has the potential to\naffect long-term health, including brain function.<\/p>\n
Professor Praveetha Patalay from UCL stated that support for groups\nfacing financial difficulties and efforts to reduce chronic poverty have\nthe potential to help suppress future declines in cognitive function and\ncases of dementia.<\/p>\n
The research was published in the journal Innovations in Aging. While\nit demonstrates a link between prolonged economic hardship and brain\nhealth, the findings do not imply that everyone experiencing financial\nproblems will inevitably develop dementia. Genetic factors, childhood\nconditions, health, and environment also play roles in the brain ageing\nprocess.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/study-chronic-financial-problems-can-accelerate-brain-ageing-1789195864", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }