Researchers from University College London (UCL) looked at the time spent in each cognitive state and the likelihood of progressing to neuro-cognitive disorders such as cognitive impairment and dementia. This approach allowed them to understand how socioeconomic factors influence the progression of these disorders and the time individuals spend in each cognitive state.

New Delhi: Not just genes, a new study has found that socio-economic factors such as education, occupation and wealth can also impact the likelihood of development. cognitive impairment or dementia in later life and whether a person has a chance of recovery.

By estimating the time spent in each cognitive state and the probability of transition to neuro-cognitive disorders such as cognitive impairment and dementia, researchers from University College London (UCL) were able to gain a comprehensive understanding of how socioeconomic factors influence the progression of a disorder people, as well as the duration spent in each cognitive state over time.

Lead author Aswathikutty Gireesh, from UCL Epidemiology and Health Care, said it is possible that education and intellectually demanding jobs provide more mental stimulation and help build a stronger brain reserve to help protect people against cognitive impairment and dementia.

The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, highlights the critical role of wealth, education and occupation not only in reducing the risk of transition from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, but also in increasing the likelihood of reversing cognitive impairment to a healthy cognitive state. , which is promising, said lead author Dr Dorina Cadar from UCL’s Department of Behavioral and Health Sciences and Brighton and Sussex Medical School.

The researchers tracked how people moved between different states: healthy, mild cognitive impairment and dementia. They also considered the possibility of reversals, where individuals improved from mild to healthy cognitive impairment.

The team found that people from more socioeconomically advantaged backgrounds were less likely to progress from healthy cognitive status to mild cognitive impairment or from mild cognitive impairment to dementia, compared to those with primary education (no higher than secondary school), working in manual or routine occupations and in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged third of the population.

For example, having a post-secondary education level was associated with a 43% lower chance of moving from healthy cognitive status to mild cognitive impairment. Meanwhile, being in the wealthiest third of the population was associated with a 26% lower chance of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

Remarkably, these advantaged individuals were also more likely to recover from mild cognitive impairment and return to a healthy cognitive state, with the wealthy 56% more likely and the educated post-secondary or working in manual occupations being 81% higher. likely to improve, compared to socioeconomically disadvantaged people.

“Furthermore, people with higher education, more intellectually demanding jobs, and wealth have better access to health care and health-promoting resources such as a nutritious diet, exercise, and preventive care— all of which can support cognitive health,” Gireesh said.