Life-course socioeconomic conditions and cognitive performance in older adults: a cross-cohort comparison

Abstract

Objectives

Socioeconomic disadvantage predicts the level of cognitive performance in old age, but findings have been mixed for trajectories of performance. This study examined associations between life-course socioeconomic conditions, including social mobility, and cognitive performance assessed in terms of level and change, across multiple cognitive domains in two independent cohorts of older adults.

Methods

Data were from two Swiss population-based cohorts: CoLaus|PsyCoLaus (N = 1210, mean age 72 years) and Vivre/Leben/Vivere (N = 993, mean age 75 years). Verbal fluency, processing speed, cognitive flexibility, memory, and global cognitive performance were assessed at two time points, each spaced 6 years apart. Associations between socioeconomic conditions (father’s occupation, parental education, own education, own occupation, household income, and social mobility) and cognitive performance were examined within each cohort, and using pooled data. Covariates included health behaviors, comorbidities, and depressive symptoms.

Results

Across cohorts, socioeconomic disadvantage predicted a lower level of performance across different cognitive domains, including processing speed, verbal fluency, and memory. Moreover, individuals who experienced life-course socioeconomic disadvantage performed worse than those who experienced upward social mobility. Associations between socioeconomic disadvantage and cognitive decline were less consistent.

Conclusion

Life-course socioeconomic conditions predict performance level across different cognitive domains, and, to a lesser extent, performance trajectories.

Keywords:

• life course
• socioeconomic disadvantage
• social inequalities
• cognition
• cognitive performance
• cognitive reserve

Acknowledgements

The authors thank those who participated in the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus and VLV studies, as well as all of those who made the CoLaus|PsyCoLaus and VLV studies possible.

Author contributions

All authors contributed to the conception and design of the study. Stephanie Schrempft, Olga Trofimova, and Morgane Künzi prepared the data and performed the statistical analyses. Stephanie Schrempft wrote the paper. All authors contributed to the revision of the paper. Silvia Stringhini, Bogdan Draganski, and Matthias Kliegel provided supervision.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, [SGS]. The ethics protocols under which the data were collected do not permit public data deposition.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Leenaards Foundation Scientific Prize, awarded to S. Stringhini, M. Kliegel and B. Draganski. The VLV Study was funded by The Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research Lives—Overcoming Vulnerability: Life Course Perspectives grant number NCCR LIVES [grant numbers 51NF40-185901, IP213 awarded to M. Kliegel]. The CoLaus|PsyCoLaus study was supported by research grants from GlaxoSmithKline, the Faculty of Biology and Medicine of Lausanne, the Swiss National Science Foundation (grants 3200B0–105993, 3200B0-118308, 33CSCO-122661, 33CS30-139468, 33CS30-148401, 33CS30_177535 and 3247730_204523), and the Swiss Personalized Health Network (project: Swiss Ageing Citizen Reference).