University of Wisconsin study links disadvantaged neighborhoods to poor brain health

A study published in the journal Radiology has found a link between living in highly disadvantaged neighborhoods and adverse brain health. Researchers analyzed nearly 3,000 brain MRI scans from 2,826 patients, aged 18 to 96, to investigate how socioeconomic environments impact the brain at molecular and cellular levels.

The research focused on two primary metrics: total brain volume and the “brain age gap,” which measures the difference between a person’s chronological age and the age of their brain as estimated by MRI. The findings indicated that residents of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas exhibited decreased total brain volume and a higher brain age gap.

To determine neighborhood disadvantage, researchers utilized the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) based on residents' zip codes. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, included data from both inpatient and outpatient clinical examinations. Patients with existing evidence of brain disease were excluded from the analysis to ensure the focus remained on the impact of environmental factors.