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Older adults in more disadvantaged neighborhoods exhibit brain vascular dysfunction
Kevin W. Law, Allison C Engstrom, Trevor Lohman, Melanie Johnson, Arunima Kapoor, John Paul M Alitin, Danny J.J. Wang, Aimée Gaubert et al.. Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior, 2026-01-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Neighborhood disadvantage is a risk factor for dementia, but the mechanisms involved are not well understood. In this study, we explored the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and whole-brain cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in 132 older adults without history of clinical stroke or dementia. Participants underwent brain MRI and venipuncture. Relative neighborhood deprivation was quantified using the Area Deprivation Index. Spontaneous CVR was calculated as the percent change in resting cerebral blood flow per unit change in end-tidal CO 2 . Greater neighborhood deprivation was associated with lower whole-brain CVR when adjusted for age and sex ( p = 0.027). Further adjustment for APOE ε4 carrier status, vascular risk factors, and plasma Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarker p-tau217 did not alter the results. These findings show that older adults in more disadvantaged environments exhibit reduced cerebrovascular function, independent of traditional vascular risk and AD-related pathology. However, further investigation with more diverse samples and a life-course model is warranted to better understand these microvascular differences.
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APA 7th
Law, K. W., Engstrom, A. C., Lohman, T., Johnson, M., Kapoor, A., Alitin, J. P. M., et al. (2026). Older adults in more disadvantaged neighborhoods exhibit brain vascular dysfunction. Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cccb.2026.100562
Vancouver
Law KW, Engstrom AC, Lohman T, Johnson M, Kapoor A, Alitin JPM, et al. Older adults in more disadvantaged neighborhoods exhibit brain vascular dysfunction. Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.cccb.2026.100562.
BibTeX
@article{law2026-75b8b974,
author = {Law, Kevin W. and Engstrom, Allison C and Lohman, Trevor and Johnson, Melanie and Kapoor, Arunima and Alitin, John Paul M and Wang, Danny J.J. and Gaubert, Aimée and others},
title = {{Older adults in more disadvantaged neighborhoods exhibit brain vascular dysfunction}},
journal = {Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1016/j.cccb.2026.100562},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cccb.2026.100562}
}
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Key findings
- Greater neighborhood deprivation was associated with lower whole-brain CVR when adjusted for age and sex ( p = 0.027).
- Further adjustment for APOE ε4 carrier status, vascular risk factors, and plasma Alzheimer’s disease (AD) biomarker p-tau217 did not alter the results.
- These findings show that older adults in more disadvantaged environments exhibit reduced cerebrovascular function, independent of traditional vascular risk and AD-related pathology.
Why it matters
In 132 older adults without stroke or dementia, greater neighborhood deprivation was linked to lower whole-brain cerebrovascular reactivity, even after adjusting for vascular risk factors and an Alzheimer's blood marker. The authors note that more diverse samples and a life-course approach are needed, and the study does not test any treatment.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 31/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior: journal h-index 19 (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 | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization 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 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 | 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 Daniel A. Nation: h-index 41 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Southern California: institution h-index 1,521 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 31 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2026.100562
- Original source →
- Free full text: Cerebral Circulation - Cognition and Behavior →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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