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Financial Worries Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging, Study Finds
๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡ด Romania /Health & Science

Financial Worries Linked to Accelerated Brain Aging, Study Finds

From Adevฤƒrul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • A new study links prolonged financial hardship to accelerated brain aging and cognitive decline.
  • Researchers found that individuals experiencing consistent low income throughout adulthood showed poorer memory and processing speed at age 53.
  • Brain scans at age 69-71 revealed more frequent signs of brain atrophy in those with a history of financial difficulties, even after accounting for other factors.

Experiencing financial difficulties over many years can leave lasting marks on brain health, not just on one's standard of living. A new study from University College London suggests that individuals facing persistent financial struggles face a higher risk of cognitive decline and accelerated brain aging. Previously, financial hardship was mainly linked to increased risks of anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular diseases. However, this research, published in Innovation in Aging, indicates the effects extend further, potentially causing structural brain changes and faster cognitive decline.

The worry about money doesn't just affect the budget, but also how the mind works.

โ€” Ileana IlieA clinical psychologist and psychotherapist explaining the psychological impact of chronic financial stress.

The study analyzed data from 2,759 Britons, part of the long-running 1946 British cohort, the world's most extensive longitudinal study of its kind. The analysis revealed that participants who repeatedly faced low incomes or financial difficulties during their youth and middle age performed worse on tests evaluating memory and information processing speed by age 53. Furthermore, MRI scans of participants at ages 69-71 showed that those who had lived with low incomes for extended periods more frequently exhibited signs of brain atrophy and other age-related brain changes.

When a person lives with financial insecurity for a long time, their brain begins to function in alert mode.

โ€” Ileana IlieDescribing the physiological response to prolonged financial stress.

This connection between financial struggles and brain health persisted even after researchers controlled for other influencing factors, such as education level, childhood cognitive performance, and socioeconomic background. "The worry about money doesn't just affect the budget, but also how the mind works," explained Ileana Ilie, a clinical psychologist and integrative psychotherapist, to "Adevฤƒrul." She noted that when a person lives with financial insecurity for a long time, their brain enters an "alert mode." This chronic stress consumes attention, energy, and decision-making capacity. The issue, she elaborated, is not just the amount of money but the perceived control over one's life. The brain reacts more strongly to the perception of threat, which can initially mobilize individuals but ultimately leads to long-term detrimental effects.

The brain reacts more strongly to this perception of threat.

โ€” Ileana IlieExplaining how the perception of financial threat impacts brain function.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Adevฤƒrul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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