Living in a bad neighborhood is linked to high blood pressure, the new research just out to confirm it. The research originates from Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Not only high blood pressure
The study was published in the scientific magazine “Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring”. It suggests that living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is associated with higher blood pressure and lower cognitive scores. Importantly, even among people who do not have an existing diagnosis.
“We know that inequitable access to education, employment, income and housing increases the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias,” said James R. Bateman, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study.
What is a neighbourhood disadvantage for blood pressure
Dr. Bateman explained the concept of a neighborhood disadvantage. It refers to the lack of social and economic resources in one’s environment. To assess neighborhood disadvantage, the research team used the highly recognized national Area Deprivation Index. It measures housing quality, education and income.
“Our goal of the study was to analyze the relationship of neighborhood disadvantage with measures of cardiometabolic health and cognition in individuals with and without diagnosed mild cognitive impairment,” said Dr. Bateman.
Bad neighbourhood and blood pressure: with or without diagnoses
Further, he elaborated on presented or absence of a diagnoses. It was important for the team to compare individuals with a diagnosis to those without one. The aim was to better understand how a person’s current cognitive state impacts the relationship between their environment and their health.
Cognition is the mental process of thinking. Also, learning, remembering, being aware of surroundings and using judgment, are part of cognition. Mild cognitive impairment is a decline in memory and thinking skills. Mild means greater than expected with normal aging. It is a risk factor for dementia.
Dr. Bateman noted that many cardiometabolic diseases increase the risk for cognitive impairment and dementia. Cardiometabolic health is the cardiovascular and metabolic health of an individual. It involves the management of risk factors such as blood glucose, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity.
How bad neighbourhoods were studied for blood pressure
For the study, Bateman and team analyzed data from 537 adults over the age of 55 from the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Healthy Brain Study at Wake Forest University School of Medicine from 2016 to 2021.
Individuals received clinical exams, neurocognitive testing and neuroimaging, in addition to cardiometabolic tests to screen for diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
The neurocognitive testing included in the study evaluated constructs such as memory, executive function, language, visuospatial skills, concentration and attention.
