Identifying Midlife Social Exposures That Might Modify Risks of Cognitive Impairment Associated with Early Life Disadvantage

Early life disadvantages have been associated with a higher risk of dementia, but the risk may be modified by early life and midlife exposures. While attention is often given to individuals' behavior and choices, structural and institutional forces may be more effective in addressing risk factors.

The Committee on Population held a two-day public workshop on August 29-30, 2024 that examined what measures, data infrastructure needs, and analytic measures can advance understanding of how midlife social exposures can address early life risk factors. Participants discussed the state of knowledge and identified conceptual approaches to guide research on better understanding midlife exposures that may be modifiable in reducing the risk of later-life dementia. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussion from the workshop.

Table of Contents

Front Matter 1 Introduction 2 Laying the Foundation 3 Life Course Models of Cognition and Risk of Dementia 4 Educational and Workplace Contexts 5 Social and Health Policies 6 Social Support and Integration (Neighborhoods) 7 Environmental and Cardiovascular Exposures 8 Key Takeaways and Future Directions References Appendix A: Public Meeting Agendas Appendix B: Biographies of Planning Committee Members Appendix C: Biographies of Workshop Presenters