They say that money doesn’t buy happiness, but it turns out that it can delay the aging process. At least this is the opinion of scientists from the University of Lausanne and the University of Geneva in Switzerland. The scientific magazine JNeurosci published the results of research conducted on 751 people aged 50 to 91.
Poverty accelerates aging? Scientists have no doubts
The conclusions drawn from the study turned out to be surprising: scientists found a connection between the faster breakdown of white matter, and therefore brain aging, and low household income. Factors such as gender, age and some key health issues were taken into account. After careful analysis, it was found that people from poorer households showed more signs of aging in the white matter in their brains in MRI scans and performed worse on cognitive tests than people from wealthier households.
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As the article highlights, “the study aimed to provide insight into the pathways linking socioeconomic exposures—household income, last known job position, and life course socioeconomic trajectories—with brain microstructure and cognitive abilities in middle and late adulthood.”
Living in poverty impacts health and cognitive decline
White matter is responsible for transmitting nerve signals, i.e. communication between individual areas of the brain. It is one of the two (along with gray matter) basic components of the central nervous system. Its amount significantly affects cognitive abilities.
As noted by scientists from the University of Lausanne and the University of Geneva, exposure to chronic unfavorable socio-economic conditions is associated with its faster decomposition. People who live in poverty therefore experience faster cognitive decline. Studies have shown that the number of fibers branching from each neuron (neurite density) and the degree of protective coating on these fibers (myelination) appear to contribute to the faster breakdown of white matter.
Scientists have pointed out that having more money acts as a kind of buffer against cognitive decline, despite visible physical changes in the brain. “These findings provide a detailed neurobiological understanding of socioeconomic differences in brain anatomy and related cognitive performance,” they emphasized.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
