Residents of disadvantaged areas are significantly more likely to suffer from dementia.

Researchers from Rush University in Chicago, led by Professor Pankaj Desai, have discovered that the risk of developing dementia is significantly influenced by one’s neighborhood.

The scientists found that residents of disadvantaged areas are twice as likely to suffer from dementia compared to those living in more affluent neighborhoods.

What Did the Scientists Learn?

The team conducted a six-year study involving approximately 6,800 individuals aged 65 and older (with an average age of 72). Participants resided in four different neighborhoods in Chicago. Throughout the study, they underwent regular testing for memory and cognitive abilities.

The researchers also gathered data on Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses (the most common form of dementia) for about 2,500 participants.

By the end of the study, dementia had developed in 22 percent of residents from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods, compared to 11 percent of those from more affluent areas.

This trend persisted even after the researchers accounted for other factors such as age, gender, and education. The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease remained more than twice as high among the most disadvantaged individuals, who typically lived in unfavorable environments.

To assess the risk of dementia at the neighborhood level, the researchers also utilized the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), a tool that combines 16 variables, including unemployment, income, ethnicity, housing type, and access to transportation.

“Most studies on Alzheimer’s disease risk factors have focused on the individual level rather than the community level. Our findings showed that the community you live in affects your risk of developing dementia,” Professor Desai noted.

The team encountered another striking result: individuals living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods experienced a significantly faster decline in cognitive abilities with age, regardless of whether they had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Residents of these areas saw their memory and thinking skills decline at an average rate 25 percent faster.

The researchers believe these findings are crucial for future planning of medical services. “Social characteristics at the neighborhood level are important to consider when planning resources and services to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” Pankaj Desai stated in an interview with BBC Science Focus.

Thus, the key takeaway from the study is clear: brain health depends not only on what happens within our bodies but also on what occurs around us.

The results of the study were published in the journal Neurology.