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What Early-Career Income Volatility Means for Your Middle-Aged Brain
A long-term study of people in four cities finds that income volatility in one’s 20s and 30s correlates with negative brain effects in middle age.
You’re allowed to be a bit of a mess in your 20s, right? You thought it would be character-building to chase your dream of being a musician and pick up catering work to make ends meet. Or maybe you came of age during a recession and couldn't find a steady job after getting laid off in your early 30s. Well, the bad news is that in addition to the hits your wallet took, by the time you reach middle age, the income volatility you experienced might have created negative consequences for your brain health.
A new study published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology, finds a correlation between an unstable income in your 20s and 30s and brain integrity in midlife.