Money Stress May Accelerate Brain Aging | Science News

Science News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Sep 2, 2026 · 2m

New research from University College London reveals that long-term financial hardship may accelerate brain aging, with people who struggled financially from youth into adulthood showing lower cognitive scores by age 53 and more brain shrinkage later in life. Even after controlling for childhood intelligence and education, the link held strong—especially for men with tough upbringings or Alzheimer’s-linked genes. Chronic stress likely fuels inflammation, which damages brain health over time. Interestingly, memory decline slowed after age 53, possibly because significant losses had already…