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Higher neighborhood deprivation is associated with accelerated disease progression in behavioral‐variant frontotemporal degeneration
Rory Thomas Boyle, Nadia Dehghani, Sheina Emrani, Anil R. Wadhwani, Melanie A. Matyi, Katheryn A Q Cousins, Emma Rhodes, Sacha B. Nelson et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging, 2025-11-13
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Abstract INTRODUCTION Neighborhood deprivation is associated with shorter survival, cognitive impairment, and neurodegeneration in aging and Alzheimer's disease. However, the association of neighborhood deprivation with disease progression in behavioral‐variant frontotemporal degeneration (bvFTD) is unknown. METHODS We examined associations between tertiles of neighborhood deprivation, using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), and survival in 311 individuals clinically diagnosed with bvFTD from the Penn FTD Center. In a subset ( n = 161) with complete baseline data across measures of global cognition, executive function, and language, we examined the association of ADI with longitudinal change. RESULTS Compared to adults living in the least deprived neighborhoods, those living in the most deprived neighborhoods showed shorter survival after symptom onset and faster decline in global cognition, executive and language functions, independent of genetic risk. DISCUSSION Living in more deprived neighborhoods was associated with an accelerated disease course in bvFTD, highlighting an important socioeconomic disparity in disease prognosis. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION INFORMATION N/A
Key findings
- Abstract INTRODUCTION Neighborhood deprivation is associated with shorter survival, cognitive impairment, and neurodegeneration in aging and Alzheimer's disease.
- RESULTS Compared to adults living in the least deprived neighborhoods, those living in the most deprived neighborhoods showed shorter survival after symptom onset and faster decline in global cognition, executive and language functions, independent of genetic risk.
- DISCUSSION Living in more deprived neighborhoods was associated with an accelerated disease course in bvFTD, highlighting an important socioeconomic disparity in disease prognosis.
Why it matters
Among 311 people with behavioral-variant frontotemporal degeneration, those in the most deprived neighborhoods had shorter survival and faster decline in cognition, executive function, and language. This shows a socioeconomic disparity in disease course but does not test any treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants161
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging: journal h-index 4 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 161 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Lauren M. Massimo: h-index 27 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41346478) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1002/bsa3.70045
- PubMed: 41346478
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Boyle, R. T., Dehghani, N., Emrani, S., Wadhwani, A. R., Matyi, M. A., Cousins, K. A. Q., et al. (2025). Higher neighborhood deprivation is associated with accelerated disease progression in behavioral‐variant frontotemporal degeneration. Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsa3.70045
Vancouver
Boyle RT, Dehghani N, Emrani S, Wadhwani AR, Matyi MA, Cousins KAQ, et al. Higher neighborhood deprivation is associated with accelerated disease progression in behavioral‐variant frontotemporal degeneration. Alzheimer s & Dementia Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging. 2025. doi:10.1002/bsa3.70045. PMID: 41346478.
BibTeX
@article{boyle2025-41346478,
author = {Boyle, Rory Thomas and Dehghani, Nadia and Emrani, Sheina and Wadhwani, Anil R. and Matyi, Melanie A. and Cousins, Katheryn A Q and Rhodes, Emma and Nelson, Sacha B. and others},
title = {{Higher neighborhood deprivation is associated with accelerated disease progression in behavioral‐variant frontotemporal degeneration}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia Behavior \& Socioeconomics of Aging},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/bsa3.70045},
pmid = {41346478},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/bsa3.70045}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.