UK study links persistent poverty to faster brain ageing

Researchers at University College London analysed data from the 1946 British birth cohort, tracking 2,759 participants from age 26 to their early 70s. Those who experienced persistent low income – defined as being in the bottom 20 % of household earnings at least twice – performed worse on verbal memory and processing‑speed tests at age 53. In a sub‑sample that underwent brain MRI at ages 69‑71, lower lifelong income was associated with greater brain tissue shrinkage.

The adverse effects were strongest in men, individuals from disadvantaged childhoods and carriers of the APOE‑ε4 allele linked to Alzheimer’s disease. The authors suggest that chronic financial stress may strain brain regions that handle attention and decision‑making. "Our findings suggest that supporting people facing financial hardship and reducing chronic poverty could also help prevent cognitive decline and dementia cases in the future," said senior author Professor Praveetha Patalay. The study was published in the journal Innovations in Aging and underscores the potential health benefits of policies aimed at alleviating long‑term poverty.