S. Duke Han|Patricia A. Boyle|Konstantinos Arfanakis|Debra Fleischman|Lei Yu|Bryan D. James|David A. Bennett
Financial literacy is associated with white matter integrity in old age
University of Southern California|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center|Illinois Institute of Technology|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center|Rush University Medical Center
financial literacy ability understand access utilize information ways contribute optimal financial outcomes important independence wellbeing old age previously reported financial literacy associated greater functional connectivity brain regions old age tested hypothesis higher financial literacy would associated greater white matter integrity old age participants included 346 persons without dementia mean age8136 mean education1539 malefemale79267 mean mmse2852 rush memory aging project financial literacy assessed using series questions imbedded part ongoing decision making study white matter integrity assessed diffusion anisotropy measured diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging dti tested hypothesis higher financial literacy associated higher diffusion anisotropy white matter adjusting effects age education sex white matter hyperintense lesions repeated analysis also adjusting cognitive function analyses revealed regions significant positive associations financial literacy diffusion anisotropy many remained significant accounting cognitive function white matter tracts connecting right hemisphere temporalparietal brain regions particularly implicated greater financial literacy associated higher diffusion anisotropy white matter nondemented older adults adjusting important covariates results suggest financial literacy positively associated white matter integrity old age