Scientists have learned about the impact of the area of residence on brain health
Scientists have found a link between the social disadvantage of the area of residence and the state of the brain. Analysis of almost 3 thousand MRI showed that residents of the most disadvantaged areas had a higher gap between the biological and real age of the brain, and its total volume was smaller. About how living conditions can affect the health of the brain, see the "Izvestia" material.
How is the area of residence related to the brain
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison studied 2,826 MRI scans of the brains of patients aged 18 to 96 years. The sample included 1,094 men and 1,732 women. The images were obtained between January and June 2024 during routine patient examinations at University of Wisconsin hospitals and partner medical facilities. The work was published in the journal Radiology.
People who showed signs of illness in the pictures were excluded from the study. The researchers then assessed two indicators of brain health: the gap between the biological and actual age of the brain, as well as its total volume. Biological age was determined based on MRI data — it shows how much older or younger the brain looks compared to the real age of a person.
To assess the socio-economic situation of the district, experts used the territory's disadvantage index. It is calculated based on 17 indicators, including income, education, employment and housing conditions of residents. The researchers determined the indicator for each participant based on his zip code. The results showed that people from the most deprived areas had a higher gap between the biological and actual age of the brain, and the total brain volume was lower.
John-Paul Yu, Professor of Radiology, Psychiatry, Biomedical Engineering, Biostatistics, and Medical Informatics at the University of Wisconsin
We have long suspected that the environment affects the brain, but so far this has not been proven on the scale of clinical studies.
What happens to the brain
In addition to biological age and total brain volume, scientists have studied the state of white matter. Among residents of the most disadvantaged areas, its hyperintensivity was more pronounced. On an MRI scan, such areas look like brighter areas. According to the researchers, hyperintensivity of the white matter may be associated with damage to the blood vessels of the brain. Such changes are also associated with an increased risk of memory loss, cognitive impairment, and dementia.
The researchers believe that the findings complement the data on the relationship between socio-economic conditions and brain health. However, the work itself does not prove that living in a disadvantaged area directly causes changes in brain tissue.
A more pronounced biological age of the brain has already been associated with cardiovascular risk factors, mental illness and cognitive impairment, so scientists consider it as one of the possible indicators of the general state of the nervous system.
How stress and pressure can affect the brain
One of the possible explanations for the discovered connection, scientists call chronic stress factors. These include high blood pressure, lack of sleep, and constant stress. According to Yu, in such conditions, blood vessels can narrow, which reduces blood flow to certain parts of the brain. Over time, this can affect the state of the white matter and manifest itself as hyperintensive areas on an MRI scan.
John-Paul Yu
When you are exposed to chronic stressors such as high blood pressure, poor sleep, or constant stress, blood vessels constrict, limiting blood flow to this part of the brain. Over time, these areas appear as bright spots on an MRI scan.
However, scientists do not claim that stress, sleep disorders, or high blood pressure explain the entire relationship. The district's disadvantage index reflects a set of social and economic conditions that can affect human health in several ways at once.
Thus, the results indicate a possible link between the environment and measurable brain changes, but more research is needed to understand the specific mechanisms.
What does this mean for your health?
The authors of the study believe that MRI data can be used as intermediate indicators to study the impact of social inequality on brain health. Such measurements can be useful both in research and in assessing risk factors for individual populations.
John-Paul Yu
For the first time, we have shown in a real clinical sample that the environment has a clear, quantifiable effect on the age of the brain and indirectly on its health.
According to him, the conditions in which a person is born, lives, works and ages can significantly affect long-term neurological health. The researcher noted that the results obtained are important to take into account when planning medical programs and identifying areas where it is necessary to improve public access to medical care.
John-Paul Yu
Unfavorable living conditions, measured by indices such as poor territory, are an important factor because they reflect accumulated structural inequalities that go beyond individual behavior, which contribute to differences in clinical outcomes.
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