A Wake Forest University study shows that living in socially and economically disadvantaged neighborhoods may have profound effects on brain health and dementia risk, suggesting policy changes could be key to improving community health.
Where you live may significantly affect your brain health and your risk for developing dementia, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
The study, published today in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging, reveals that individuals residing in areas marked by higher levels of social vulnerability, environmental injustice and socioeconomic disadvantage exhibit noticeable differences in brain structure and function.
“This study is consistent with other research showing that the state of the social environment in which people live can shape their brain health in profound ways,” senior author Timothy Hughes, an associate professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, said in a news release.
To uncover these findings, the researchers analyzed data from 679 adults enrolled in the Healthy Brain Study at the Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Participants underwent brain scans and blood tests to detect early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The team then cross-referenced these biological markers with three national-level tools assessing neighborhood conditions by zip code: the Area Deprivation Index, Social Vulnerability Index and Environmental Justice Index.
The study found that higher scores on these indices, indicating greater neighborhood burden of social determinants of health, were associated with changes in dementia-related biomarkers. These changes were particularly evident among Black participants living in the most burdened neighborhoods.
The biomarkers identified included a thinner outer layer of the brain, white matter changes pointing to vascular disease, reduced blood flow and more irregular circulation — factors that can contribute to memory and cognitive decline over time.
“This study is one of the first to connect a variety of place-based social factors with advanced biological markers of dementia,” added lead author Sudarshan Krishnamurthy, a sixth-year M.D.-Ph.D. candidate. “It shows that the conditions and environment in which people live — such as access to clean air, safe housing, nutritious food and economic opportunity — may leave a lasting imprint on brain health.”
The research reinforces a growing body of evidence suggesting that social and environmental factors are not mere background influences but essential variables in understanding and tackling Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
“If we truly want to improve brain health across all communities, we must look beyond individual choices and hone in on the broader systems and structures that shape health at the neighborhood level,” Krishnamurthy added.