持续财务困难与脑部加速衰老相关联

伦敦大学学院的研究发现，早期和中年时期面临持续财务困难的人在步入晚年时脑部衰老速度更快。1该研究分析了来自1946年英国队列研究的2,759名参与者的多十年数据，发现持续低收入——定义为至少两次落在群体最低20%——与53岁时认知能力下降以及69-71岁时脑部健康指标恶化相关，包括更明显的脑萎缩。1研究人员指出，累积的经济困难而非偶发困顿与最严重的认知健康恶化相关联。1

财务困难的影响在不同人群中存在差异。1研究表明，约12%的参与者在36-53岁间至少两次超过财务困难阈值。1男性受到财务困难的影响更为显著，在53岁时的认知测试表现明显低于女性同龄人。1有童年不利经历者和携带APOE-ε4基因变体者中，这种关联尤为明显。1研究团队认为，慢性压力可导致炎症加速脑部衰老，同时持续的金钱担忧会增加认知负荷。1虽然有财务困难的人群整体认知表现更差，但其记忆测试在53-69岁间的下降速度反而更缓慢，这是因为他们已在53岁时经历了大幅认知损失。1

该研究已发表于《Innovation in Aging》2026年第10卷第8期。1

Prolonged financial difficulties during early and middle adulthood are associated with reduced cognitive ability at age 53 and signs of accelerated brain aging in later life, according to research from University College London.1 The study analyzed data spanning multiple decades from 2,759 participants in the 1946 British birth cohort and found that cumulative economic strain—rather than isolated financial setbacks—correlates most strongly with cognitive decline.1 Individuals who experienced persistent low income, defined as falling into the lowest 20 percent of earnings at least twice, performed worse on cognitive tests at 53 and showed poorer brain health indicators between ages 69 and 71, including greater brain atrophy.1

The research identified financial difficulty as occurring in approximately 12 percent of participants who exceeded financial hardship thresholds at least twice between ages 36 and 53.1 Men proved particularly vulnerable to the effects of financial strain, demonstrating notably worse cognitive test performance at 53 compared to their female counterparts.1 The mechanisms underlying this association appear to involve chronic stress triggering inflammation that accelerates brain aging, while persistent financial worry increases cognitive load.1 The effect was most pronounced among men, those with adverse childhood experiences, and individuals carrying the APOE-ε4 genetic variant.1 The findings were published in Innovation in Aging in 2026.1