A new study reveals that where and how people live throughout their lives may leave a lasting imprint on their brains. Researchers found that each year spent in a socially and environmentally disadvantaged area increased the odds of vascular brain injury (VBI) by about 4%. These small but significant injuries—such as infarcts, microinfarcts, and white matter rarefaction—are closely tied to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
The study analyzed brain tissue from 740 donors whose residential histories were linked to the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a measure of neighborhood disadvantage. The findings show that people who lived in high-ADI areas throughout their lives, or who moved into more disadvantaged areas over time, had substantially higher odds of VBI. For example, those who experienced increasing disadvantage from youth to older adulthood had more than 12 times the odds of VBI compared to those in stable, low-ADI environments.
“These results show promise for identifying geographic areas in need of targeted interventions,” the authors wrote. The study underscores how structural inequities—often shaped by race, income, and policy—can influence brain health decades later.
By linking social disadvantage to biological outcomes, the research highlights the need for public health strategies that address the root causes of health disparities. Reducing exposure to harmful environments over the life course may be key to lowering the risk of dementia in marginalized communities.
See “Association of Life-Course Area Deprivation With Vascular Brain Injury” (June 14, 2025)
