New Delhi, December 28 (IANS). Socio-economic inequalities may lead to changes in brain structure and connectivity associated with aging and dementia. These things have come to light in a study.
The study, conducted by an international team of researchers led by Trinity College Dublin, found that inequality is directly linked to reduced brain volume.
It can also cause disrupted connectivity, particularly in temporo-posterior and cerebellar regions – important for memory and cognitive function.
The findings showed that people with Alzheimer’s disease are most severely affected.
In contrast, researchers saw mild effects in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. This may be due to more significant genetic influences.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Aging, the team said reductions in brain volume and connectivity are often seen in dementia patients and are linked to disease progression and severity.
Remarkably, the team found a link even after taking into account individual factors such as education, age, gender and cognitive ability. This underlines the independent role of macro-level factors in shaping brain health.
Dr. Agustín Ibáñez, professor of global brain health at Trinity College, said this research highlights the important role of structural inequality in shaping brain health.
Ibanez said that given the increase in dementia rates, especially in low- and middle-income countries, our findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of brain health disparities. Appear to be specific to each region.
The findings emphasize the need to integrate individual social determinants of health as well as social and physical variables in global brain health research.
These may include variables such as democratic governance, air pollution, migration, climate change and access to green spaces. Identification and resolution of these region-specific modulators may lead to targeted interventions that may mitigate accelerated brain aging and reduce the burden of dementia in disadvantaged communities.
–IANS
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