Washington DC [US], April 27 (HBTV): A new study has found that internalising stress, particularly feelings of hopelessness, may significantly accelerate memory decline in older Chinese Americans, highlighting a less-recognised risk factor for cognitive ageing.
Researchers noted that while external support systems such as community cohesion were examined, they did not show a similar impact on memory changes over time. The findings point to the need for culturally sensitive approaches to stress management in ageing populations.
The study, conducted by researchers at Rutgers Health and published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, explored factors influencing cognitive decline among Chinese adults aged over 60. The research was carried out by the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Ageing Research.
The researchers selected this demographic as older Chinese Americans have often been underrepresented in studies on brain ageing, resulting in limited understanding of how memory loss develops in this group.
‘With the number of older Asian Americans growing significantly, it is vital to better understand the risk factors of memory decline in this understudied population,’ said Michelle Chen, lead author of the study and a core member of the Center for Healthy Aging Research at Rutgers.
The study highlighted that cultural expectations, including the ‘model minority’ stereotype, may contribute to hidden emotional strain. This perception, which portrays Asian Americans as consistently successful and resilient, can mask underlying mental health challenges.
Additionally, older immigrants may face ongoing stress due to language barriers and cultural differences, further compounding emotional strain. While such challenges are not unique to Asian Americans, researchers noted their particular relevance in this context.
‘Stress and hopelessness may go unnoticed in ageing populations, yet they play a critical role in how the brain ages,’ Chen said. ‘Because these feelings are modifiable, our goal is for this research to inform culturally sensitive stress-reduction interventions to mitigate these feelings in older adults.’
To examine these effects, the research team analysed data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE), a large community-based cohort study involving more than 1,500 participants in the Chicago area between 2011 and 2017.
The study assessed three key socio-behavioural factors: stress internalisation, neighbourhood or community cohesion, and external stress alleviation.
Among these, internalised stress emerged as the most significant factor associated with memory decline. This type of stress involves suppressing emotions and absorbing stressful experiences rather than expressing or resolving them, and it showed a strong link with worsening memory across multiple phases of the study.
In contrast, neighbourhood cohesion and external stress relief measures did not demonstrate a significant association with changes in memory over time.
The findings suggest that addressing internalised stress could offer a pathway for interventions aimed at preserving cognitive health. Researchers emphasised the importance of culturally tailored strategies that account for the specific experiences of ageing immigrant populations.
The study was supported by the Rutgers-NYU Resource Centre for Alzheimer's and Dementia Research in Asian and Pacific Americans, co-led by William Hu of the Rutgers Institute for Health and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Co-authors include Yiming Ma, Charu Verma, Stephanie Bergren and William Hu.
(ANI)