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People who faced continuing money difficulties or remained on a low income through early and middle adulthood generally scored lower on cognitive tests at age 53.

Among participants who later received brain scans, persistent low income was also associated with poorer brain health between ages 69 and 71, including greater brain shrinkage.

The relationships remained after the researchers accounted for other factors that could influence the results, including childhood cognitive ability, educational attainment and childhood disadvantage.