Study Reveals Living in Slum Areas Can Damage the Brain
Living environments can be linked to an individual’s brain health condition. Recent research has found that people living in areas with the lowest socio-economic welfare levels tend to have an older brain age, smaller total brain volume, and more signs of small vessel damage in the brain.
According to Euro News, these findings originate from a study published in the journal Radiology, a publication of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Researchers found a correlation between the socio-economic conditions of an environment and several brain health metrics visible through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
In the study, researchers analysed nearly 3,000 brain MRI scans from patients aged 18 to 96. The researchers then compared brain size and characteristics with the Area Deprivation Index (ADI). This index is used to measure the level of socio-economic deprivation or disadvantage in an area based on several factors, including income, education, employment, and housing conditions.
It is important to note that the ADI describes the condition of an area and does not directly describe the socio-economic condition of every individual living within it.
The results showed that people living in areas with the highest levels of socio-economic deprivation had an older brain age and smaller total brain volume compared to those living in areas with better socio-economic conditions.
“Your place of residence leaves a measurable imprint on your brain,” said John-Paul J. Yu, one of the researchers in the study. According to Yu, the living environment has a clear and measurable impact on brain age and, indirectly, on brain health.
More Signs of Brain Vessel Damage
In addition to differences in brain age and volume, the study also found a higher volume of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in people living in the most disadvantaged environments. White matter hyperintensities appear as bright spots or patches on the brain’s white matter during MRI examinations. This condition can be related to damage to small blood vessels in the brain.
“White matter hyperintensities are essentially traces of cardiovascular damage in the brain,” said Yu. He explained that several factors, such as high blood pressure, poor sleep quality, and chronic stress, can affect blood flow to the brain in the long term. A higher volume of WMH has also been linked to an increased risk of neurological health problems, including memory loss, cognitive impairment, and dementia.
Environmental Inequality Becomes a Concern
According to the researchers, these findings add to the evidence that the environmental conditions in which a person is born, lives, works, and ages can be linked to long-term neurological health. Therefore, environmental inequality is deemed necessary to be considered in the design of health interventions and public policies.
“Environmental inequality—measured using indices such as the ADI—is an important determinant because it reflects accumulated structural injustice, going beyond mere individual behaviour, which contributes to disparities in clinical outcomes,” said Yu.
Nevertheless, the findings regarding the relationship between environmental conditions and brain health characteristics do not mean that a person’s place of residence directly causes specific brain changes. Brain health is influenced by various interrelated factors, so the results of this study primarily indicate a correlation that requires further investigation.
The study also highlights the importance of viewing brain health not only from the perspective of individual behaviour and conditions but also from the socio-economic environment that shapes a person’s life in the long term.