Area‐level deprivation is associated with rate of memory decline in late life within a community‐based cohort

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundResiding in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with adverse health outcomes, as well as increased risk for dementia. However, it remains unclear whether area‐level deprivation impacts the rate of age‐related memory decline, especially in community‐based populations.MethodWe quantified late life neighborhood level disadvantage using the 2013 Area Deprivation Index (ADI) for 2,554 participants with complete data of interest within the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study – a same‐aged, community‐based cohort of randomly selected 1957 Wisconsin high school graduates. Delayed recall for a 10‐item word list was assessed at two timepoints in mid to late life (Time 1 (∼2004): age 64.39 + 0.74 years; and Time 2 (∼2011): age 71.28 + 0.97 years). We used multivariate linear regression models to evaluate whether ADI was associated with memory performance at each time point, and with the annualized rate of change in memory performance over time.ResultIncreasing ADI was significantly correlated with lower adolescent IQ, less educational attainment, lower net worth, higher vascular risk scores, elevated depression metrics, and increasing age (all p<0.001). Mean ADI did not differ by sex, but was significantly higher in ApoE‐4 positive carriers (t(2552) =2.257, p=0.024). Results of multivariate regression indicated that greater area‐level deprivation (higher ADI) was not associated with delayed recall performance at Time 1 (b = 0.001; 95% CI: ‐0.003 to 0.005, P=0.790), but was associated with poorer delayed recall performance at Time 2 (B = ‐0.004; 95% CI: ‐0.007 to ‐0.001, P=0.019). Higher ADI also predicted greater annualized rate of decline in delayed recall between timepoints (B = ‐0.001; 95% CI: ‐0.001 to ‐9.9^10‐5, P=0.025). These findings held after controlling for individual‐level demographic and socioeconomic variables (age, sex, adolescent IQ, years of education, net worth), genetic risk (ApoE‐4 carrier status), depression, hearing loss, and a modified CAIDE (Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Incidence of Dementia) risk score calculated at Time 1.ConclusionEven after accounting for established individual‐level demographic, socioeconomic, health, and genetic risk factors for cognitive decline, greater neighborhood disadvantage is associated with an accelerated rate of annualized decline in delayed recall performance across mid to late life in a community sample.