Higher socio-economic status (SES) has been proposed to have facilitating and protective effects on brain and cognition. We ask whether relationships between SES, brain volumes and cognitive ability differ across cohorts, by age and national origin. European and US cohorts covering the lifespan were studied (4–97 years, N = 500 000; 54 000 w/brain imaging). There was substantial heterogeneity across cohorts for all associations. Education was positively related to intracranial (ICV) and total gray matter (GM) volume. Income was related to ICV, but not GM. We did not observe reliable differences in associations as a function of age. SES was more strongly related to brain and cognition in US than European cohorts. Sample representativity varies, and this study cannot identify mechanisms underlying differences in associations across cohorts. Differences in neuroanatomical volumes partially explained SES–cognition relationships. SES was more strongly related to ICV than to GM, implying that SES–cognition relations in adulthood are less likely grounded in neuroprotective effects on GM volume in aging. The relatively stronger SES–ICV associations rather are compatible with SES–brain volume relationships being established early in life, as ICV stabilizes in childhood. The findings underscore that SES has no uniform association with, or impact on, brain and cognition.

中文翻译：

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教育和收入与欧洲和美国群体的大脑寿命和认知差异存在异质关系


较高的社会经济地位（SES）被认为对大脑和认知具有促进和保护作用。我们询问不同群体、不同年龄和国籍的社会经济地位、脑容量和认知能力之间的关系是否存在差异。对覆盖整个生命周期的欧洲和美国队列进行了研究（4-97 岁，N = 500 000；54 000 例进行脑成像）。所有协会的队列之间都存在很大的异质性。教育程度与颅内（ICV）和总灰质（GM）体积呈正相关。收入与 ICV 相关，但与 GM 无关。我们没有观察到与年龄相关的可靠差异。与欧洲人群相比，美国人群的 SES 与大脑和认知的相关性更强。样本代表性各不相同，本研究无法确定跨群体关联差异的潜在机制。神经解剖学体积的差异部分解释了 SES 与认知的关系。 SES 与 ICV 的相关性比与 GM 的相关性更强，这意味着成年期的 SES 与认知关系不太可能基于衰老过程中 GM 体积的神经保护作用。相对较强的 SES-ICV 关联与生命早期建立的 SES-脑容量关系相一致，因为 ICV 在儿童时期稳定。研究结果强调，SES 与大脑和认知没有统一的关联或影响。