Overview

• A decade-long study involving over 8,400 adults aged 50 and older found that socioeconomic factors like education and wealth play a crucial role in brain health.
• Participants with post-secondary education were 43% less likely to progress from a healthy cognitive state to mild cognitive impairment.
• Those in the wealthiest third of the population had a 26% lower risk of advancing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.
• Individuals from advantaged backgrounds were more likely to recover from mild cognitive impairment, with wealthy people 56% and college-educated individuals 81% more likely to return to a healthy state.
• The research suggests that mental stimulation from education and professional careers, along with better access to healthcare and resources, may protect against cognitive decline.