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Influence of Birthplace and Age at Migration on Cognitive Aging Among Hispanic/Latino Populations in the United States: Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging
Mao‐Mei Liu, Ariana M. Stickel, Wassim Tarraf, Lehan Li, Krista M. Perreira, Fernando Riosmena, Melissa Lamar, Fernando Daniel Testai et al.. The Gerontologist, 2025-01-23
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
All Hispanic/Latino immigrant adults, regardless of age at migration, have a cognitive health disadvantage (at each visit and over time) relative to U.S./mainland-born Hispanic/Latino individuals. Differences did not endure the inclusion of covariates and were explained predominantly by first socioeconomic and then acculturative factors, and far less by health and health behaviors. Acculturative factors are particularly important for individuals who migrated after childhood. DISCUSSION AND Socioeconomic and acculturation factors have outsized roles in explaining gaps in cognitive aging among U.S.-born and migrant Hispanic/Latino adults. It is then vital to examine whether disrupting socioeconomic and acculturation inequalities closes such gaps in cognitive aging.
Key findings
- All Hispanic/Latino immigrant adults, regardless of age at migration, have a cognitive health disadvantage (at each visit and over time) relative to U.S./mainland-born Hispanic/Latino individuals.
- Differences did not endure the inclusion of covariates and were explained predominantly by first socioeconomic and then acculturative factors, and far less by health and health behaviors.
- Acculturative factors are particularly important for individuals who migrated after childhood.
- DISCUSSION AND Socioeconomic and acculturation factors have outsized roles in explaining gaps in cognitive aging among U.S.-born and migrant Hispanic/Latino adults.
- It is then vital to examine whether disrupting socioeconomic and acculturation inequalities closes such gaps in cognitive aging.
Why it matters
This study found that Hispanic/Latino immigrant adults had a cognitive health disadvantage compared with U.S./mainland-born Hispanic/Latino individuals, but the differences did not endure after including covariates and were explained mainly by socioeconomic and acculturative factors. The authors suggest examining whether disrupting socioeconomic and acculturation inequalities could close these gaps, but no treatment, cure, or prevention was tested.
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Study details
- Participants16,415
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Gerontologist) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | The Gerontologist: journal h-index 238 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 4 / 4 | 16,415 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 11 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.0× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 11 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Hector M. González: h-index 39 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, Berkeley: institution h-index 2,012 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 11 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39847471) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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
Liu, M., Stickel, A. M., Tarraf, W., Li, L., Perreira, K. M., Riosmena, F., et al. (2025). Influence of Birthplace and Age at Migration on Cognitive Aging Among Hispanic/Latino Populations in the United States: Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging. The Gerontologist. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf009
Vancouver
Liu M, Stickel AM, Tarraf W, Li L, Perreira KM, Riosmena F, et al. Influence of Birthplace and Age at Migration on Cognitive Aging Among Hispanic/Latino Populations in the United States: Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging. The Gerontologist. 2025. doi:10.1093/geront/gnaf009. PMID: 39847471.
BibTeX
@article{liu2025-39847471,
author = {Liu, Mao‐Mei and Stickel, Ariana M. and Tarraf, Wassim and Li, Lehan and Perreira, Krista M. and Riosmena, Fernando and Lamar, Melissa and Testai, Fernando Daniel and others},
title = {{Influence of Birthplace and Age at Migration on Cognitive Aging Among Hispanic/Latino Populations in the United States: Study of Latinos-Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging}},
journal = {The Gerontologist},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/geront/gnaf009},
pmid = {39847471},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf009}
}
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