Poor Neighborhoods May Make Memory Loss Worse for Older Mexican Americans

A new study reveals that living in disadvantaged neighborhoods may exacerbate age-related cognitive problems, with a more pronounced effect on Mexican Americans compared to non-Hispanic Whites. Published in JAMA Network Open, the research analyzed data from 1,614 participants aged 50 and older in the Health and Aging Brain Study — Health Disparities.

 

The study, conducted by researchers from various institutions including the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and the University of North Texas Health Science Center, found that neighborhood disadvantage was associated with poorer performance on cognitive tests for both Mexican American and non-Hispanic White participants. However, the effect was more significant for Mexican Americans.

 

Mexican American participants living in the three most disadvantaged neighborhoods performed worse on tests of memory, attention, processing speed, and executive function compared to those in the least disadvantaged areas. For non-Hispanic Whites, only those in the fourth most disadvantaged neighborhood category showed poorer performance on certain cognitive tests.

 

The researchers used the Area Deprivation Index to measure neighborhood disadvantage, considering factors such as poverty, education, housing, and employment. Mexican American participants were more likely to reside in more disadvantaged areas.

 

The study highlights the complex interplay of individual, socioeconomic, sociopolitical, and environmental factors affecting cognitive health in diverse populations. Researchers emphasize that neighborhood disadvantage is a modifiable risk factor, albeit challenging to change.

 

This research, supported by the National Institute on Aging, aligns with NIH’s efforts to understand and address health disparities in Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Future studies will include African American participants and explore which cognitive functions are most affected by neighborhood disadvantage.