Socioeconomic status as a predictor of neurocognitive performance in adults aged 50 and older

Argentina is undergoing a profound economic and social crisis that hinders optimal conditions for healthy aging. Socioeconomic context is a psychosocial risk factor that plays an important role in neurocognitive performance and in the response to its deterioration. Thus, the decline of cognitive functions in old age constitutes an issue of growing relevance worldwide, given that its progression can lead to dementia. This study aimed to examine whether socioeconomic status predicts neurocognitive performance in adults over 50 years. Using a cross-sectional design 136 volunteers from the general population (M age 65.9, 68.4% women) were assessed with a socioeconomic index that gathered information on income, education, and occupational attainment, along with a neurocognitive battery composed of the Trail Making Test, fluency tasks, and the Auditory Verbal Screening for Cognitive Alterations. Regression analyses were performed between socioeconomic status and the different tasks. In line with the study's hypothesis, the regression model explained 30% of the variance. Socioeconomic status carried the greatest predictive weight, followed by education. Furthermore, adult socioeconomic status (education, income, and occupation) showed greater predictive weight for neurocognitive performance than childhood socioeconomic status (parents' education and occupation). In conclusion, socioeconomic context influences neurocognitive performance, highlighting education as a protective factor.