A new study sheds light on why Black Americans face higher risks of cognitive decline and dementia than their White peers—and it’s not about how mentally demanding their jobs were. Instead, it’s about the social advantages that come with higher-status occupations.
Researchers from the University of Michigan and other institutions analyzed data from over 500 older adults in the Michigan Cognitive Aging Project. They found that Black participants were significantly less likely to have held high-status jobs, and this occupational gap explained up to 7% of the racial disparities in memory and thinking skills. “Occupation may influence cognitive disparities primarily through socioeconomic, rather than cognitive stimulation, pathways,” the authors wrote.
Contrary to the popular “use-it-or-lose-it” theory, the study found that the mental, social, and physical demands of a job—collectively known as occupational complexity—did not explain racial differences in cognitive performance. Even when jobs were mentally engaging, they didn’t offer the same protective benefits if they weren’t accompanied by higher income or wealth.
The disparities were most pronounced among participants who were no longer working. For them, lower education, lower-status jobs, and lower income combined to create a cascade of disadvantage that harmed cognitive health. The researchers argue that addressing structural barriers to education and employment could help reduce these disparities.
“Policies targeting workforce inequities may reduce racial disparities in dementia risk,” the study concludes, pointing to the need for systemic change rather than individual job choices.
See: “Occupational position and complexity in relation to Black-White cognitive disparities” (August 4, 2025)
