Occupational Shifts Research Articles

Cultural Transformation and Occupational Shifts among the Gujjar Tribe: An Analytical Study

The study explores the cultural transformation and occupational shifts among the Gujjar tribe in Rajouri District, Jammu and Kashmir. Historically pastoralists, the Gujjars have transitioned into new economic activities due to modernization, urbanization, and changing government policies. Educational advancements and emerging economic opportunities have led many within the tribe to diversify beyond livestock rearing into fields like agriculture, business, and public service. These shifts have redefined family structures, gender roles, and community dynamics, with women increasingly participating in the workforce. But, challenges such as cultural dislocation and loss of land rights persist. The study, based on qualitative research, highlights the complexities of adapting to modernity while preserving cultural identity, offering insights into how the Gujjars navigate the tension between tradition and modern change. The findings underscore the importance of sustainable development strategies that respect both cultural heritage and economic progress.

Inter-Generational Occupational and Socio-Economic Pattern of Bhutias in Sikkim: Case Study of Lachung, Tashiding and Tathangchen

The paper discusses the inter-generational occupational and socio-economic pattern of Bhutias in Sikkim. Case studies of certain Bhutia families were conducted as an oral source for understanding their present status, changing lifestyle and their self perception about the present status. Bhutia families from three Bhutia dominated villages Lachung, Tashiding and Tathangchen in Sikkim were interviewed. The findings reveal that transformations and diversification in the occupational pattern among the Bhutia families in Sikkim has taken place. Agriculture as their traditional occupation has declined as they are pursuing other alternative occupations. The case study shows that the number of Bhutia agricultural households, both as agriculturist and agricultural labour has declined, but they continue as owners of large land plots. The study sheds light on the occupational shift from traditional occupations to business and trade, tourism, and salaried jobs over the years and generations.

Economic shocks and employment shifts across industrial sectors in English regions

This paper examines changes in employment and job allocation across various industrial sectors in English regions over the years 2009–2021. The aim is to investigate regional resilience by analysing the impact of economic shocks on the make-up and productivity of English regions via dynamic shift-share analysis. The evidence reveals that employment in key industries across English regions remained largely unaffected by economic shocks, also due to the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented occupational shifts through furloughing and essential worker selection. But we also find that while comparative lack of specialisation insulated many English regions from the more damaging aspects of exogenous shocks, the resulting economic turmoil in these regions impacted key sectors differently. The findings contribute to our understanding of regional economic resilience and how it is influenced by industrial diversity, productivity, and economic policy.

Pattern of occupational shift among Malabar migrants: a case study of Kallar grama panchayath in Kerala

The impact of the migration on the economy of Kerala in general and of Malabar in particular needs special mention. Large scale production of commercial crops like rubber, ginger, pepper, arecanut and coconut, advanced methods of cultivation and the introduction of new agricultural crops are some of the aspects to be highlighted. Migration to Malabar turned out to be a mass movement, as migration of half a million people took place without any design, organisation or leadership. Famine was a driving force behind large scale migration. Land prices were very low as compared with Travancore. The increasing tendency of cultivation of commercial crops helped the migration. It is a form of agriculture to agriculture migration, anticipating a long run improvement and can be perceived as a human capital decision. This often leads to change of traditional occupation to other and substantial socio economic development. The immigrant people change their occupation from agriculture or agricultural labour to industrial labour or some other jobs. The present study focuses the changes that take place in the occupational pattern of the Malabar migrants in Kallar Grama Panchayath in Kasaragod district of Kerala

Assessing contributions of DNA sequences at the 3’ end of a yeast gene on yFACT, RNA polymerase II, and nucleosome occupancy

ObjectiveIn past work in budding yeast, we identified a nucleosomal region required for proper interactions between the histone chaperone complex yFACT and transcribed genes. Specific histone mutations within this region cause a shift in yFACT occupancy towards the 3’ end of genes, a defect that we have attributed to impaired yFACT dissociation from DNA following transcription. In this work we wished to assess the contributions of DNA sequences at the 3’ end of genes in promoting yFACT dissociation upon transcription termination.ResultsWe generated fourteen different alleles of the constitutively expressed yeast gene PMA1, each lacking a distinct DNA fragment across its 3’ end, and assessed their effects on occupancy of the yFACT component Spt16. Whereas most of these alleles conferred no defects on Spt16 occupancy, one did cause a modest increase in Spt16 binding at the gene’s 3’ end. Interestingly, the same allele also caused minor retention of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) and altered nucleosome occupancy across the same region of the gene. These results suggest that specific DNA sequences at the 3’ ends of genes can play roles in promoting efficient yFACT and Pol II dissociation from genes and can also contribute to proper chromatin architecture.

To stay or not to stay? Temporal shifts in dung beetle occupancy in a cloud forest landscape

Abstract Dynamic occupancy model estimates the probabilities of occupancy, detection, extinction and colonization of individuals throughout seasons and is, thus, a useful tool for identifying whether individuals select a site to improve population phenology and fitness. We used multi‐season dynamics occupancy models to assess how abiotic factors (monthly variation, percentage of forest and edge and temperature) and biotic factors (female abundance) affect the demographic dynamics of coprophagous beetles Deltochilum mexicanum and Dichotomius satanas that differ in their habitat preferences in a human‐modified landscape in a cloud forest in Mexico. For both species, we captured a total of 1069 individuals with a density of 48.2 individuals per trap in forest areas and 14.8 individuals per trap in non‐forest areas. The species differed in their spatiotemporal occupancy dynamics in the landscape. Specifically, we found that monthly variation, percentage of forest cover and percentage of edge affected the models for both species. Each species showed a specific set of explanatory covariates for the model parameters, indicating that phenological and demographic regulatory mechanisms act as drivers of the spatiotemporal occupancy in a year period. We highlight the importance of considering abiotic factors (landscape characteristics) as drivers of occupancy, especially in highly heterogeneous landscapes. Such understanding is relevant to establish the effects of the landscape on the distribution and occurrence of dung beetles by determining how forest and generalist species differ in colonization and extinction patterns with respect to their phenology.

Occupational Shift from Agricultural to Non-Agricultural Sectors in Semi Urban Area

Despite considering agriculture as the primary economic sector, people in Nepal are rapidly moving away from this sector. Occupational shift from the traditional sector such as agriculture to the industrial sector and service sector is a global phenomenon because of modernity, urbanization, and search for comfortable life of people. People in Nepal also are abandoning agriculture as an occupation because of changing lifestyles, modernity, and national planning. As a result, the infantile industrial growth and insufficient employment generation in the service sector compelled thousands of youths to migrate daily to foreign lands for employment. Even within the country, youths migrating from rural to the urban area leaving their traditional agriculture occupation is a common phenomenon. This scenario triggered this researcher to understand the phenomenon of occupational shift and the dynamics of various elements playing a role behind it. To pursue the research purpose, a qualitative research design with the strategy of narrative inquiry was adopted to understand the experiences and perceptions of people who were on the verge of occupational shift. The four research participants; two from Kageshwori Manohara Municipality and two from Gokarneshwor municipality of Kathmandu valley were purposefully selected for the in-depth interview. In addition to listening and reflecting to their life stories about engagement to abandon agriculture occupation, their activities, emotions, and lifestyle were also narrated, observed, and analyzed. The qualitative analysis of participant’s narrations and observations of their daily life led to the major insights that various economic and socio-cultural dimensions of societal change were primarily associated with the occupational shift. People left agriculture as an occupation when they could not adopt modern technology. Therefore, they had work burden to follow the agriculture. Economic aspects like low and uncertain return from agriculture, comparatively higher benefit from non-farm occupations and access to foreign employment had encouraged people for the occupational shift. Likewise, the socio-cultural aspects such as urbanization, changing values of societies, peoples’ new lifestyle, and education system were also playing a vital role in the background to expedite occupational shift. The dynamics of these elements were viewed from the lenses of the modernization theory whereas analyses were made ii in the light of macro-micro interaction between structure and agency of the society. Despite the fading status of agriculture sector at present, the research concludes that potentiality of this sector is still high for the country to generate employment. The research indicates the importance to redefine the agricultural policy to attract youth in it thereby envisioning technical and vocational education. Likewise, the research also demonstrates the possibilities of increasing agricultural productivity and enhancing the social value of this occupation can revive the agriculture occupation again in Nepal by revisiting the education pattern of TVET.

Advanced Ambiance Sensing Device using ESP32 and BME680

Occupational structure is the distribution or division of working population in different sectors based on occupations. It is one of the key elements in manifestation of population composition of a region. The economy is segregated based on its occupational structure namely, the agriculture sector, industrial or manufacturing sector and service sector. Occupational structure provides clear picture of working and non-working population in an area. The growth and prosperity of a region largely depends on the size of working population and proportion of productive workers engaged in various economic activities. The objective of this study is to find out the shift in occupation from primary sector to other sectors and the rate of change in last two decades from 2001 to 2011 in Kerala state with district as spatial unit. The study is based upon the secondary data collected from Census 2001 and 2011.By using GIS techniques thematic maps were prepared to show the variation in occupational structure in the study area. To find out the changes in occupational structure, percentage of workers engaged in four categories are to be calculated. There is a remarkable shift of workers from agriculture to non-agricultural sector in Kerala.

A Study of Occupational Structure in Kerala State Using GIS Techniques

Occupational structure is the distribution or division of working population in different sectors based on occupations. It is one of the key elements in manifestation of population composition of a region. The economy is segregated based on its occupational structure namely, the agriculture sector, industrial or manufacturing sector and service sector. Occupational structure provides clear picture of working and non-working population in an area. The growth and prosperity of a region largely depends on the size of working population and proportion of productive workers engaged in various economic activities. The objective of this study is to find out the shift in occupation from primary sector to other sectors and the rate of change in last two decades from 2001 to 2011 in Kerala state with district as spatial unit. The study is based upon the secondary data collected from Census 2001 and 2011.By using GIS techniques thematic maps were prepared to show the variation in occupational structure in the study area. To find out the changes in occupational structure, percentage of workers engaged in four categories are to be calculated. There is a remarkable shift of workers from agriculture to non-agricultural sector in Kerala.

Blue grabbing of the green crop fields: A development conundrum in southwest coastal Bangladesh

Blue grabbing of green crop fields for brackish water shrimp farming in southwest coastal Bangladesh has long been criticized for salinization, reduced crop production, occupational shift, migration, marginalization of farmers, increasing social conflict, income inequality, and unemployment. This socio-ecologically irresponsible farming system has been expanded to vast crop fields in southwest coastal Bangladesh over the last four decades. Business and policy people branded this export earning sector as the ‘White Gold’ industry, and they termed this massive farming shift as a ‘Blue Revolution’. However, the unplanned expansion of the low-yielding extensive shrimp farming is now neither competitive in the global shrimp market nor socio-ecologically sound. The current declining production trend, upcoming risks, reduced competitiveness, and the dismal prospect of the shrimp industry strongly call for a new land use policy supporting the reversion of shrimp farming into crop agriculture, and intensification, and modification of the existing extensive shrimp farm, where possible. This opinion article aims to draw policy attention to planning comprehensive crop zoning, enacting agricultural land protection and land use planning, and implementing integrated blue-green farming systems in southwest coastal Bangladesh.

White-tailed deer detection rates increase when coyotes are present.

Predator species can indirectly affect prey species through the cost of anti-predator behavior responses, which may involve shifts in occupancy, space use, or movement. Quantifying the various strategies implemented by prey species to avoid adverse interactions with predators can lead to a better understanding of potential population-level repercussions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine predator-prey interactions by quantifying the effect of predator species presence on detection rates of prey species, using coyotes (Canis latrans) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Central Appalachian forests of the eastern United States as a model predator-prey system. To test two competing hypotheses related to interspecific interactions, we modeled species detections from 319 camera traps with a two-species occupancy model that incorporated a continuous-time detection process. We found that white-tailed deer occupancy was independent of coyote occupancy, but white-tailed deer were more frequently detectable and had greater detection intensity at sites where coyotes were present, regardless of vegetation-related covariates. In addition, white-tailed deer detection rates at sites with coyotes were highest when presumed forage availability was relatively low. These findings suggest that white-tailed deer may be exhibiting an active avoidance behavioral response to predators by increasing movement rates when coyotes are present in an area, perhaps due to reactive evasive maneuvers and/or proactive attempts to reduce adverse encounters with them. Concurrently, coyotes could be occupying sites with higher white-tailed deer densities. Because white-tailed deer did not exhibit significant shifts in daily activity patterns based on coyote occupancy, we further suggest that white-tailed deer in our study system generally do not use temporal partitioning as their primary strategy for avoiding encounters with coyotes. Overall, our study implements a recently developed analytical approach for modeling multi-species occupancy from camera traps and provides novel ecological insight into the complex relationships between predator and prey species.

A shift in the host web occupancy of dew‐drop spiders associated with genetic divergence in the Southwest Pacific

AbstractAimWe assessed the population genetic structure of the kleptoparasitic spider Argyrodes bonadea across the Southwestern Pacific islands. Our aim is to evaluate the impact of overseas distances and, in particular, the Kerama gap, as potential drivers of genetic differentiation. If no relationship exists, then we assume dispersal following adaptive change as alternative non‐vicariant mechanism that generates divergence.LocationSouthwestern Pacific Islands.Taxon Argyrodes bonadea. MethodsWe used mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase 1 (CO1) gene sequences and Restriction Site‐associated DNA Sequencing (RAD‐seq) for our analyses.ResultsTwo strongly supported lineages, an Amami‐Okinawa Lineage (AOL) and an Austral‐Asia Lineage (AAL), correspond to two separate clades, roughly divided by the Kerama Gap, in phylogenetic trees estimated here. However, species delimitation led to the interpretation of only a single species present. The AOL exhibits complex, geographically structured host web spider species specificity, wherein the Amami population utilizes Cyrtophora, but AOL samples in Okinawa associate exclusively with Nephila—and yet all broadly distributed AAL populations show no evidence of host web spider species specificity.Main ConclusionThe population boundary between AOL and AAL likely results from local adaptation to novel hosts—instead of isolation by the Kerama Gap—following long‐distance dispersal and range expansion. Our results suggest kleptoparasitic spiders have the capacity to overcome permanent deep‐sea barriers and colonize distant landmasses. Whereas peripheral populations (AOL) demonstrate the capacity for specialization to a single host, which may have contributed to genetic differentiation and isolation, the broadly distributed AAL persists and has successfully expanded its geographical range as a host generalist, which may contribute to ongoing gene flow inferred in this study.

Job Polarisation, Labour Market Fluidity and the Flattening of the Phillips Curve

Abstract This paper shows that job polarisation—i.e., the disappearance of routine jobs—is changing the characteristics of the labour market. This has structural implications for the relationship between inflation and unemployment, the price Phillips curve. Using data from the European Monetary Union and exploiting the fact that job polarisation accelerates during recessions, we obtain two empirical results. First, countries experiencing a bigger shift in the occupational structure during a downturn exhibit a flatter Phillips curve afterwards. Second, the occupational shifts experienced during the Great Recession and the Sovereign Debt Crisis explain more than a fourth of the flattening of the curve in the 2002–18 period. Then, using a New Keynesian model with unemployment and search and matching frictions, we highlight a channel through which labour market characteristics operate on the slope of the Phillips curve. Increasing labour market fluidity—i.e., a higher separation and hiring rate—decreases the slope of the Phillips curve. Using micro-data, we find that in the European Monetary Union non-routine jobs are more fluid. We conclude that job polarisation flattened the Phillips curve.

The effect of heat mitigation strategies on thermoregulation and productivity during simulated occupational work in the heat in physically active young men.

To investigate heat stress mitigation strategies on productivity and thermoregulatory responses during simulated occupational work in the heat. Thirteen physically active men (age, 25 ± 4 years; body mass,77.8 ± 14.7 kg; VO2peak, 44.5 ± 9.2 ml·kg-1·min-1) completed five randomized-controlled trials in a hot environment (40°C, 40% relative humidity). Each trial was 4.5 h in duration to simulate an outdoor occupational shift. Thermoregulatory responses (heart rate, HR; rectal temperature, Trec; mean skin temperature, Tsk), perceptual responses (rating of perceived exertion, RPE; thermal sensation; thermal comfort; fatigue) and productivity outcomes (box lifting repetitions, time to exhaustion) were examined in the following heat mitigation strategy interventions: (1) simulated solar radiation with limited fluid intake [SUN]; (2) simulated solar radiation with no fluid restrictions [SUN + H2O]; (3) shade (no simulated solar radiation during trial) with no fluid restrictions [SHADE + H2O]; (4) shade and cooling towels during rest breaks with no fluid restrictions [COOL + H2O]; and (5) shade with cooling towels, cooling vest during activity with no fluid restrictions [COOL + VEST + H2O]. [COOL + VEST + H2O] had lower Trec compared to [SUN] [p = 0.004, effect size(ES) = 1.48], [SUN + H2O] (p < 0.001, ES = -1.87), and [SHADE + H2O] (p = 0.001, ES = 1.62). Average Tsk was lower during the treadmill and box lifting activities in the [COOL + VEST + H2O] compared to [SUN] (p < 0.001, ES = 7.92), [SUN + H2O] (p < 0.001,7.96), [SHADE + H2O] (p < 0.001), and [COOL + H2O] (p < 0.001, ES = 3.01). There were performance differences during the [COOL + VEST + H2O] (p = 0.033) and [COOL + H2O] (p = 0.023) conditions compared to [SUN] during phases of the experimental trial, however, there were no differences in total box lifting repetitions between trials (p > 0.05). Our results suggest that during a simulated occupational shift in a laboratory setting, additional heat mitigation strategies ([COOL + VEST + H2O] and [COOL + H2O]) reduced physiological strain and improved box lifting performance to a greater degree than [SUN]. These differences may have been attributed to a larger core to skin temperature gradient or reduction in fatigue, thermal sensation, and RPE during [COOL + H2O] and [COOL + VEST + H2O]. These data suggest that body cooling, hydration, and "shade" (removal of simulated radiant heat) as heat stress mitigation strategies should be considered as it reduces physiological strain while producing no additional harm.

Occupational Shift among Dalits

This paper examines how caste relations are affecting conventional caste-based artisan occupations at present changing scenario of Nepali society. Its focus has been to examine how changes in livelihoods have affected the traditional occupational status of Dalits in semi-rural parts of the Kaski district. Relationship between Dalit and non-Dalit families, traditional artisan and occupations have been an integral part of Nepalese society and culture. They have bound Nepali families together based on their livelihoods. Patron-client relationships between Dalits and non-Dalits, on the other hand, were based on an unequal relationship. This relationship is labeled “unequal” because the people belonging to the Dalit community have been discriminated all life in social practices while having a no way out to escape from the clutches of the cashless peasantry and artisan occupations of the 'Balighare and Hali pratha' while lagging behind in land ownership. Sewing, Ploughing, and Blacksmithery, works based on birth were common. This form of patron-client relationship where the upper castes exploitatively extracted more from what the Dalits had to offer is best termed as an “unequal relationship”. For the purpose of this qualitative research, on-site interviews were arranged with the sixty members from the Dalit households, as per the consent and availability of the participating families. All of them had a history of working the traditionally assigned artisan occupations, while some of them still continued doing so. Most respondents have terminated 'bali pratha' which was based on patron-client relationships between Dalits and non-Dalit families. The young generation shows indifference to the forefather's occupation. Different factors, like the market-based production system and migration trends and the influences of urbanization encourage them to change their traditional occupations. Large numbers of Dalits are now employed in non-agricultural areas for a living. Similarly, livelihood diversification is helping weaken the caste-based occupation in the study area.

NURSE ROTATION TO THE INCIDENCE OF BURNOUT SYNDROME

The prevalence of burnout among nursing professionals is very high, which is associated with gender, age, marital status, level of health, occupational shifts and health care areas. Job rotation is one way out of the problems that are occurring. This study was to determine the relationship between nurse rotation and burnout syndrome. This study uses a quantitative research design with a cros-sectional approach to explain the variable of job rotation with the incidence of burnout syndrome in nurses. A population of 130 nurses with sampling techniques using the slovin formula was obtained by 98 respondents with the criteria of ASN nurses who work in mental wards, nurses who have experienced job rotation. The Instrument used nurse rotation questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey questionnaire. Data analysis using pearson correlation tests. Research shows a relationship between job rotation and the incidence of nurse burnout syndrome with an r value of 0.900 then a p value of 0.000. The nurse's good perception of job rotation is the lower the incidence of burnout in nurses and to provide a good plan related to the nurse job rotation program and adjust the workload so as to improve the performance of good nurses.Keywords: Burnout Syndrome; Job Rotation; Nurse

Places left behind? Declining inner suburbs in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, 1980–2015

This paper empirically tests for causal relationships between occupational polarization, shifting housing market preferences, and inner-suburban decline in the City of Toronto prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. The analysis used variables from the 1981 and 2016 Censuses to conduct a cluster analysis that illustrates the potential relationships between occupational shifts, shifting housing market preferences, and inner-suburban decline. I then conducted an OLS regression analysis to determine causal relationships among the three processes. The results indicated that occupational polarization is the stronger determinant of inner-suburban decline in comparison to shifting housing market preferences. Furthermore, I determined that neighbourhoods with higher proportions of professionals are declining relative to neighbourhoods with higher proportions of workers in the finance, insurance, and real estate occupations. Socio-spatial restructuring and decline in the inner suburbs are increasingly characterized by an emergent form of occupational polarization that entails the bifurcation of occupations between those neighbourhoods that are more connected to the circulation and (re)production of glocal financial networks vs. those that are not.

Turning Waste into Means: Human Hair Business in a West Bengal Village

The present study is a part of an ongoing research conducted on human hair business at a rural-level entrepreneurship run by the people living in Lohabarh village under Bhagwanpur-1 Block in Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. This business is also found in many other villages of this administrative block. It deals with the fallen hair tangles which serve as the main raw materials collected from different rural and urban areas of West Bengal. The products like hair wigs or hair extensions are sold in national and international markets through local and foreign traders or through online platforms. Therefore, a large network of business organizations is involved in the whole process. The study aims to know the process of turning the waste into reusable product along with the exploration of the nature of business organization and to understand the networks connected to international market from such a rural-level entrepreneurship so that the local and global interaction is realized in this context. The study reveals how people do this work at the village level and how it is circulated outside the village. It has enquired about the people involved and the extent of dividends contributing to their economic prosperity. It is revealed that a group of economically backward people had an occupational shift to this work, and it helped them to uplift their economic conditions considerably.

Intergenerational Social Mobility, Brain Structure, and Cognitive Trajectory: Findings from the Whitehall II Study

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies on the effects of intergenerational social mobility on cognitive outcomes were not consistent, additionally, underlining brain anatomical variation is unclear. In the present study, we aim to examine the associations of social mobility with brain structure and cognitive trajectories in older adults.MethodThe study included 771 participants, ages 69.8 ±5.2 years, of the Whitehall II ‐ MRI substudy (2012‐2016) with data on their father’s occupation, their own occupation in mid‐life, lifestyle (smoking, drinking, physical activity, social activity, sleep disturbances, auditory difficulty, depression, obesity, hypertension), neuroimaging (T1 structural MRI) and cognitive abilities (global cognition, crystallized cognitive ability, and fluid intelligence). Social mobility was classified into stable high social class, stable low social class, upward mobility and downward mobility group based on occupational shifts from father. We used the ANCOVA tests to assess the association of social mobility with gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT) in various brain regions, and the growth curve modeling (GCM) to evaluate its relations to cognition over 20 years, adjusting for social lifestyle covariates and associated GMV/CT regions identified above.ResultSocial mobility was significantly related to 48 out of the 136 regions of GMV across the frontal lobe, limbic lobe, and temporal lobe; and to 4 out of the 68 regions of CT at the whole‐brain level. Stable high social class preserved the largest GMV and CT value; pair‐wise results suggest upward mobility preserved a larger GMV value than the downward mobility group (average diff. in cm3: 0.121, P&lt;0.05); and similarly a larger CT value (average diff. in cm:0.029, P = 0.051). In GCMs, stable high social class (ref. downward mobility) had a higher entry score of fluid intelligence (b = 2.617, P&lt;0.05), all other comparisons including the entry score and decline rate of cognitive abilities were non‐significant.ConclusionOur results suggest a lack of direct association between social mobility and trajectories of global cognition and crystallized cognitive ability; instead, an indirect effect through preserving the value of brain GMV and CT may occur. Additionally, an adverse causal relationship between social mobility and fluid intelligence might happen.

Intergenerational Social Mobility, Brain Structure, and Cognitive Trajectory: Findings from the Whitehall II Study

AbstractBackgroundPrevious studies on the effects of intergenerational social mobility on cognitive outcomes were not consistent, additionally, underlining brain anatomical variation is unclear. In the present study, we aim to examine the associations of social mobility with brain structure and cognitive trajectories in older adults.MethodsThe study included 771 participants, ages 69.8 ±5.2 years, of the Whitehall II ‐ MRI substudy (2012‐2016) with data on their father’s occupation, their own occupation in mid‐life, lifestyle (smoking, drinking, physical activity, social activity, sleep disturbances, auditory difficulty, depression, obesity, hypertension), neuroimaging (T1 structural MRI) and cognitive abilities (global cognition, crystallized cognitive ability, and fluid intelligence). Social mobility was classified into stable high social class, stable low social class, upward mobility and downward mobility group based on occupational shifts from father. We used the ANCOVA tests to assess the association of social mobility with gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness (CT) in various brain regions, and the growth curve modeling (GCM) to evaluate its relations to cognition over 20 years, adjusting for social lifestyle covariates and associated GMV/CT regions identified above.ResultsSocial mobility was significantly related to 48 out of the 136 regions of GMV across the frontal lobe, limbic lobe, and temporal lobe; and to 4 out of the 68 regions of CT at the whole‐brain level. Stable high social class preserved the largest GMV and CT value; pair‐wise results suggest upward mobility preserved a larger GMV value than the downward mobility group (average diff. in cm3: 0.121, P&lt;0.05); and similarly a larger CT value (average diff. in cm:0.029, P = 0.051). In GCMs, stable high social class (ref. downward mobility) had a higher entry score of fluid intelligence (b = 2.617, P&lt;0.05), all other comparisons including the entry score and decline rate of cognitive abilities were non‐significant.ConclusionsOur results suggest a lack of direct association between social mobility and trajectories of global cognition and crystallized cognitive ability; instead, an indirect effect through preserving the value of brain GMV and CT may occur. Additionally, an adverse causal relationship between social mobility and fluid intelligence might happen.