The associations between intergenerational mobility of income and cognitive function in midlife–The Young Finns Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Systematically high and upward mobile (lower childhood and higher adulthood) socioeconomic status (SES) has been suggested to be associated with better overall cognitive function in adulthood compared to systematically low or downward mobile (high childhood and low adulthood) SES. METHODS: Participants' SES mobility was assessed using data on childhood family income (N = 3596, age 3-18) and own adulthood income (N = 1941, age 34-49). Adulthood learning and memory, working memory, information processing, and reaction time were measured using a computerized test. Altogether, 1804 participants had data on life-course income level and cognitive function in adulthood. RESULTS: Compared to participants with stable high income, those with stable low, downward, or upward mobile income had worse memory and learning, and information processing. Participants with stable low or downward mobile income had worse working memory and reaction time. The results persisted after adjusting for age, sex, childhood/adulthood lifestyle, cardiovascular risk factors, and polygenic risk score for cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with stable high income may have better midlife cognitive function. This finding highlights the role of life-course SES for disparities in adulthood cognitive function. Understanding the role of early-life determinants of midlife cognitive function is important, as this knowledge may be applied to the early promotion of adulthood cognitive health.
Source: Social Science & Medicine
Institutions: University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Tampere University, University of Tampere, Tampere University Hospital, Fimlab (Finland), University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio University Hospital, Oulu University Hospital, University of Oulu
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,800
Funders: Foundation for Cardiovascular Research, Yrjö Jahnssonin Säätiö, European Commission, Kela, Academy of Finland, Suomen Kulttuurirahasto, Juho Vainion Säätiö, Signe ja Ane Gyllenbergin Säätiö, Emil Aaltosen Säätiö, Sydäntutkimussäätiö, Sigrid Juséliuksen Säätiö, Tampereen Tuberkuloosisäätiö, Diabetesliitto, Paavo Nurmen Säätiö, Tays, Turun Yliopistollinen Keskussairaala, Diabetestutkimussäätiö, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, European Research Council, Jenny ja Antti Wihurin Rahasto, Division of Social and Economic Sciences, H2020 European Research Council
Awards: G1037428335, G1432259313, G1601895641, G1704830626, G1763104746, G1872575776, Ancestral environmental exposures and offspring health – a multigenerational epidemiologic cohort study across 3 generations, G1891033315, G2026946236, G2230772921, G2330237237, G2513778610, A multidisciplinary approach for the stratification of patients with carotid artery disease, G3111916513, G3213590351, G33539551, G3582688621, G3858258543, G4139205196, G4655867613, G4965406020, G5090981026, G5208171454, G523551622, G5474452856, G5512925732, G5646563246, G5770909501, G6164432047, G6310393984, G6355767702, Burden of loneliness: Is enhancing social interaction the best way to ensure cognitive development?, G6682689995, G6802942620, G692875121, G69797456, Lifelong and transgenerational epigenetic profiles in relation to the development of cardiometabolic diseases, G7540798381, Primordial prevention and early development of cardiometabolic diseases – The longitudinal infancy-onset STRIP study, G9488050, G992154238
OpenAlex ID: W4411729578