Gentrification and Cognitive Aging: Examining Neighborhood Change and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

We examined whether neighborhood gentrification is associated with cognitive change among older adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA; n = 1,731). Among participants, 23% resided in continually advantaged neighborhoods, 34% in gentrified neighborhoods, and 43% in continually disadvantaged neighborhoods (2000-2010). A Global Cognitive Composite (GCC) assessed memory, processing speed, and executive function from 2010-2024. Linear mixed-effects models with inverse probability weights estimated cognitive change over 5 years. After adjustment for confounding, GCC declined most in gentrified neighborhoods (- 0.15 SD) and least in continually advantaged neighborhoods (- 0.12 SD), with intermediate decline in continually disadvantaged neighborhoods (- 0.13 SD; p = 0.06). Neighborhood-level change may not confer cognitive protection and could carry risks, even relative to persistently disadvantaged contexts.