A new study finds that self-reported memory and thinking problems are increasing most rapidly among younger U.S. adults, with social and economic factors playing a role.
The study’s findings were in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
“Challenges with memory and thinking have emerged as one of the top health problems reported by U.S. adults,” he said. Adam de Havenonstudy author, MD, MS, of the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology.
“Our study shows that These difficulties may be becoming more widespreadespecially among younger adults, and that social and structural factors likely play a key role.”
According to , to reach these conclusions, researchers examined more than 4.5 million survey responses collected every year between 2013 and 2023.
Participants were asked the following question: “Due to a physical, mental or emotional condition, do you have serious difficulties concentrating, remembering or making decisions?”
Anyone who answered “yes” was considered to have a cognitive impairment. The analysis excluded individuals who reported depression and also left out data from 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 has created unusual conditions.
Over a 10-year period, the overall prevalence of cognitive impairment in the United States increased from 5.3% in 2013 to 7.4% in 2023with the first noticeable increase appearing in 2016.
Younger adults saw the sharpest change. Those under 40 years of age almost doubled the rate, going from 5.1% to 9.7%.
Nonetheless, older adults saw a slight decline. Among people aged 70 and over, prevalence fell from 7.3% in 2013 to 6.6% in 2023.
Although the survey is not a measure of cognitive impairment, de Havenon noted that the increasing prevalence of self-reported cognitive impairment in younger adults reflects important public health trends.
The researchers found that adults with household incomes of less than $35,000 consistently recorded the highest rates — increasing from 8.8% to 12.6% over the study period.
Although the majority of respondents were white, rates increased across nearly all racial and ethnic groups:
American Indian and Alaska Native adults: higher prevalence, from 7.5% to 11.2%;
Hispanic adults: from 6.8% to 9.9%;
Black adults: from 7.3% to 8.2%;
White adults: from 4.5% to 6.3%;
Asian adults: from 3.9% to 4.8%.
“These results suggest that we are witnessing a more pronounced increase in memory and reasoning problems among people who already face structural disadvantages,” said de Havenon.
“We must better understand and address the underlying social and economic factors that may be driving this trend.”
“It is also more research needed to understand what is driving the large increase in rates among younger adults, given the potential long-term implications for health, workforce productivity and health care systems,” de Havenon continued.
“To reflect real changes in brain health, a greater awareness and willingness to report problemsor other social and health factors. But regardless of the possible causes, the increase is real and is especially pronounced in people under 40.”
A limitation of the study was the fact that the data was collected through telephone surveys and that the people who responded may not have remembered all the information accurately. Another limitation was the expanded definition of disability.
Teresa Oliveira Campos, ZAP //
