Study: Financial problems cause the brain to age prematurely

A study conducted by a research team from University College London found that individuals who face financial difficulties or experience income decline in early adulthood show reduced cognitive abilities by age 53.

As part of the study, published in the scientific journal Innovation in Aging, which specializes in aging-related research, brain scans of participants revealed that lifelong financial scarcity affects brain function and leads to brain shrinkage between the ages of 69 and 71.

Researcher Jack Wells, one of the study’s contributors, said, “This study spanned several decades to assess the impact of accumulated financial problems over many years and their association with brain cognitive functions, rather than measuring only during periods of acute financial crisis.”

The study analyzed data from approximately 2,800 British citizens born in 1946, who were asked about their financial circumstances at ages 26, 43, and 53, including whether they struggled to meet their financial obligations at those ages.

The results showed that lower income and financial difficulties were associated with reduced ability to process information and deteriorating verbal memory by age 53. Men were found to be more affected by financial problems than women.

Researchers attributed this to the fact that men born in that era belonged to a generation in which the man was considered the head of the household and responsible for providing for all family members.

The website HealthDay, which specializes in medical research, quoted lead researcher Pravati Bhatia, a professor of population health at University College London, as saying, “These findings suggest that supporting individuals facing financial difficulties and reducing poverty may help prevent future cognitive decline and dementia.”