Researchers conducted a study using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study and discovered that changes in socioeconomic status (SES) can impact the risk of developing dementia. The study found that moving up the SES ladder is linked to a lower risk of dementia and a longer period of healthy aging without dementia, while moving down the ladder increases the risk. The study, which included 9,186 participants, also revealed that lifestyle choices, the presence of other medical conditions, and social factors play a role in this relationship, emphasizing the significance of SES in maintaining cognitive health and preventing dementia.
A new study suggests that upward social mobility can help protect against dementia. Dementia, a collect rnrnCognitive decline, which includes memory loss and decreased mental functioning, is a serious issue that has a significant impact on healthcare systems and the lives of those affected. Previous research has indicated a connection between socioeconomic status (SES) and the likelihood of developing dementia, with factors such as parental assets, education, income, and employment status playing a role. Additionally, changes in SES over the course of a person’s life, referred to as social mobility, appear to influence this risk. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to support these findings.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Osaka University and published in JAMA Network Open has sought to address this gap by providing data-supported evidence.It is evident that moving up the social ladder is connected to a decreased risk of dementia. In particular, experiencing a decrease in socioeconomic status (SES) was correlated with the greatest decline in healthy aging after the age of 75, while moving up the SES ladder was linked to the longest period of healthy aging. Surprisingly, the results of upward mobility were more favorable than those who had a consistently high SES since childhood.
“Thanks to a comprehensive and reliable set of data, our research confirms the link between socioeconomic mobility and the risk of dementia,” commented Ryoto Sakaniwa, the lead author of the study. “Our discovery that upward social mobility over the course of a person’s life has a positive impact on dementia risk is significant.”connection between socioeconomic status and dementia risk. The study found that individuals who experienced improvements in their socio-economic status over time were less likely to develop dementia compared to those who had a stable or declining socio-economic status. This suggests that improving living standards and socio-economic conditions may play a significant role in delaying or preventing dementia in older adults. The findings highlight the importance of addressing socio-economic inequalities and improving living conditions as a potential strategy for promoting healthy aging and reducing the burden of dementia. The use of unsupervised clustering analysis and data-driven classification allowed for a comprehensive examination of SES transitions and their impact on dementia risk, providing valuable insights for future prevention and intervention efforts.The study conducted a thorough investigation into the connection between these changes and the risk of developing dementia. The results showed that moving up the socioeconomic ladder was linked to a reduced risk of dementia, while moving down was associated with a higher risk. Additionally, the study examined how lifestyle choices, other health conditions, and social factors influenced the relationship between these transitions and dementia risk. The findings indicated that these factors played important roles in mediating the risk, especially when it came to physical characteristics and lifestyle choices in upward transitions and social factors.factors affecting cognitive health, such as transitions in socioeconomic status (SES), should be further investigated to understand their impact on the risk of developing dementia. Senior author Hiroyasu Iso emphasizes the importance of exploring the mechanisms by which SES influences cognitive health and potential interventions for reducing dementia risk. Understanding the complexities of SES and its transitions is crucial for developing targeted strategies to address socioeconomic factors throughout a person’s life.
