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Symposium

Health Sciences

The Social Determinants of Brain Health: From the Search for Mechanisms to Recommendations to Increase Equity

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
Location: Room 125

Dementia risk has been established to be partly attributable to modifiable social and behavioral risk factors. However, the biological pathways behind these associations and the effects of intervening on present risk factors to reduce dementia risk have not been fully elucidated. The symposium will present latest research on the social determinants of brain health and dementia. We will explore proposed mechanisms between modifiable risk factors and risk of dementia, and present findings on the modifiability of dementia risk through addressing risk factors. Specifically, the first presentation reports analyses testing possible pathways from socioeconomic status, notably childhood and adulthood indicators such as (parental) education and occupation, to cognitive functioning in later mid-adulthood via indicators of brain damage and white matter connectivity with the Maastricht Study. The second presentation reports empirical analyses testing the possible mediating role of the gut microbiome in the relationships between social and modifiable risk factors and Mild Cognitive Impairment with data of the controls of the Luxembourg Parkinson's Study. The third presentation reports on the associations between hearing loss as a modifiable risk factor and incident dementia in the UK Biobank and investigates the potential to modify hearing loss-associated dementia risk through the use of hearing aids. Lastly, the fourth presentation moves to recommendations for policy and government action. It gives an overview of various fields in which policy and legislation could implement cognitive impact assessments to protect individuals’ cognition, with the aim of improving population brain health and health equity.

This is a Brain Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

Learning Objectives:

  • ... list short-term and long-term modifiable risk factors for impaired cognition and dementia
  • ... define possible pathways from socioeconomic determinants to cognition and dementia
  • ... critically reflect on the impact of environmental and behavioral characteristics on cognition

Presentations:

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
    The Associations of Socioeconomic Position With Structural Brain Damage and Connectivity and Cognition

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Anouk F.J Geraets, PhD (she/her/hers) – University of Luxembourg

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
    Education as a Risk Factor of Mild Cognitive Impairment—The Role of the Gut Microbiome

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Matthias Klee, MSc – University of Luxembourg

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
    Hearing Loss as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Dementia in UK Biobank

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Jure Mur, PhD (he/him/his) – The University of Edinburgh

  • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM ET
    Protecting Cognition and Increasing Equity Through "Cognitive Impact Assessments"

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Anja K. Leist, PhD, FGSA (she/her/hers) – University of Luxembourg