Investigative Findings Suggest Woman's Residential Location Subtly Erodes Cognitive Functions over Time
In a recent study published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, researchers have discovered a significant link between high-poverty neighborhoods and a faster decline in women’s episodic memory. The study, which utilized data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), involved 1,391 participants between the ages of 49 and 60.
The research revealed that women living in areas of concentrated poverty experienced an approximately 7% decline in their immediate and delayed episodic memory over a 10-year period. This decline was particularly steep for Black women, who suffered an approximately 10% decline in delayed recall. Episodic memory, which includes both immediate and delayed recall of personal experiences or information, is a crucial aspect of cognitive function and typically remains stable during midlife.
The study controlled for factors such as menopause status, physical activity, education level, smoking, and alcohol use. Despite these controls, the association between high-poverty environments and memory decline remained significant. This suggests that neighborhood socioeconomic status independently affects cognitive aging in women. The geographic clustering of poverty appears to contribute meaningfully to this increased risk.
The study also found that women living in higher income areas did not show significant memory decline. Furthermore, processing speed and working memory did not show a huge difference for women living in poorer neighborhoods.
The findings of this study are concerning, as a faster memory decline may serve as an early indicator of cognitive problems later in life, including an increased risk of dementia. The Center for American Progress estimates that there are about 21.4 million women living in poverty in the U.S. Based on the study, these women could be living with a higher risk for dementia and related illnesses.
The study’s authors emphasise that living in high-poverty neighborhoods presents a significant cognitive health risk for women by accelerating episodic memory decline and potentially increasing dementia risk later in life. They call for increased resources and support for women living in poverty to help improve their health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline.
"Women living in high-poverty neighborhoods deserve better and should not be subjected to certain health outcomes simply because of where they live," said one of the study’s authors. "It is crucial that we address the systemic issues that contribute to these health disparities and work towards creating more equitable communities for all women."
[1] [Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association](https://www.alzheimersanddementia.com/) [2] [Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)](https://www.swanstudy.org/) [3] [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/)
- The study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association highlights the connection between high-poverty neighborhoods and a faster decline in women's episodic memory, particularly Black women, which may indicate a higher risk of cognitive problems and dementia later in life.
- The research on women's health across the nation, based on data from the SWAN study, reveals that women living in areas of concentrated poverty experienced a significant 7% decline in immediate and delayed episodic memory over a 10-year period, with Black women experiencing a steeper 10% decline in delayed recall.
- The geographic clustering of poverty contributes meaningfully to the increased risk of cognitive decline, as the study controlled for factors such as menopause status, physical activity, education level, smoking, and alcohol use, but the association between high-poverty environments and memory decline remained significant.
- The study's findings underscore the need for increased resources and support for women living in poverty to help improve their health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline, pointing to the systemic issues that contribute to these health disparities and the importance of creating more equitable communities for all women in terms of health-and-wellness, mental-health, women's-health, and neurological-disorders.
