Poverty's long shadow on the brain: financial stress linked to cognitive aging

A Washington Post summary of a University College London study tracking more than 2,700 people born in 1946 finds that sustained financial stress and poverty from adulthood into midlife are associated with slower cognitive processing and worse memory in midlife, with brain health changes evident even after accounting for childhood disadvantage. While the authors argue poverty-related stress likely contributes to brain aging and dementia risk, the exact pathways are complex and may involve behaviors and inflammation. The study underscores potential policy implications: alleviating poverty could help protect brain health later in life.