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Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation is Associated with Worse Cognitive Performance and in vivo Amyloid Accumulation
Mayeli Mahsa, Saraiya Riya, Mecca Adam P, Matuskey David. NPJ dementia, 2026-02-12
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) has been associated with poorer brain health, yet its underlying pathology remains incompletely understood. We examined whether neighborhood-level SED, measured using the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), relates to amyloid deposition assessed with amyloid positron emission tomography (PET). Participants (n = 1,110) underwent cognitive assessment using the mini mental state examination (MMSE) and PET scanning with amyloid-specific tracers. Associations between national and state ADI and MMSE and global amyloid burden were evaluated using linear models adjusting for age, sex, and APOE-ε4 carrier status. In 1,110 participants, higher neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower MMSE scores, with both national and state ADI measures showing significant inverse associations independent of age and sex (all p < 0.001). Higher ADI was significantly associated with greater amyloid burden among cognitively unimpaired participants (β = 0.18, p = 0.006, d = 0.27), indicating early AD-related pathology. Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with worse cognitive performance and for the first time were shown to be associated with amyloid accumulation during the preclinical phase of AD. These findings underscore the need to consider socioeconomic context in early-stage risk assessment and may help inform targeted prevention strategies aimed at reducing disparities in dementia outcomes.
Key findings
- Socioeconomic disadvantage (SED) has been associated with poorer brain health, yet its underlying pathology remains incompletely understood.
- In 1,110 participants, higher neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower MMSE scores, with both national and state ADI measures showing significant inverse associations independent of age and sex (all p < 0.001).
- Higher ADI was significantly associated with greater amyloid burden among cognitively unimpaired participants (β = 0.18, p = 0.006, d = 0.27), indicating early AD-related pathology.
- Neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with worse cognitive performance and for the first time were shown to be associated with amyloid accumulation during the preclinical phase of AD.
- These findings underscore the need to consider socioeconomic context in early-stage risk assessment and may help inform targeted prevention strategies aimed at reducing disparities in dementia outcomes.
Why it matters
In 1,110 participants, higher neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation was associated with lower MMSE scores and greater amyloid burden among cognitively unimpaired participants. This links social disadvantage to early AD-related pathology but does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants1,110
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
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 (NPJ dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Npj Dementia: journal h-index 10 (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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,110 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, 2026-10-17) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| 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 | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: h-index 145 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Yale University: institution h-index 1,922 (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 41674810) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Mahsa, M., Riya, S., Mecca Adam, P., & David, M. (2026). Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation is Associated with Worse Cognitive Performance and in vivo Amyloid Accumulation. NPJ dementia. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546338/v1
Vancouver
Mahsa M, Riya S, Mecca Adam P, David M. Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation is Associated with Worse Cognitive Performance and in vivo Amyloid Accumulation. NPJ dementia. 2026. doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546338/v1. PMID: 41674810.
BibTeX
@article{mahsa2026-41674810,
author = {Mahsa, Mayeli and Riya, Saraiya and Mecca Adam, P. and David, Matuskey},
title = {{Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation is Associated with Worse Cognitive Performance and in vivo Amyloid Accumulation}},
journal = {NPJ dementia},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546338/v1},
pmid = {41674810},
url = {https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8546338/v1}
}
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