Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with altered cortical connectivity in frontoparietal brain regions

Motivation: Neighborhood disadvantage measured using an area deprivation index(ADI) has shown to impact cognitive outcomes,with alterations in regional volumetric and cortical assessment. Connectivity based approaches could further identify cortical network patterns associated with cognitive decline and neighborhood disadvantageGoal(s): We evaluated associations between neighborhood disadvantage,cognitive impairment and changes in morphological similarity network(MSN)features. Approach: For unimpaired cohort(n=297)with lowest and highest ADI ranks,cortical thickness based MSN features were computed and associations between ADI,cognitive performance and network features were assessed using linear regression and mediation analysisResults: Disorganization of frontoparietal regions was associated with ADI and demonstrated marginal mediating effect between cognitive impairment and neighborhood disadvantage status. Impact: Our findings of association between neighborhood disadvantage status and cortical disorganization in Alzheimer’s-related fronto-parietal brain regions, support the impact of neighborhood disadvantage on cognitive outcomes, and provide a connectivity based mechanism that may explain risk for cognitive decline and dementia.