The stress that causes people to turn inward may be secretly increasing the risk of memory loss in older Chinese Americans, according to a new study from Rutgers Health.
This study Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Journalconducted by researchers at the Rutgers Institute for Health, Medical Policy, and Aging Research. It investigated various factors that may increase or decrease the risk of cognitive decline in Chinese adults aged 60 and older.
This group was chosen in part because older Chinese Americans are often ignored in research on brain aging, leaving important gaps in understanding how memory loss progresses in this population.
“As the number of older Asian Americans increases significantly, it is critical to better understand the risk factors for memory decline in this understudied population,” said Michelle Chen, lead member of the Rutgers Center for Healthy Aging and lead author of the study.
Cultural pressures and hidden emotional tensions
The researchers noted that cultural expectations may play a role in shaping mental health outcomes. The model minority stereotype that portrays Asian Americans as consistently successful, educated, and healthy can create additional pressures while masking emotional conflicts.
At the same time, many older immigrants face challenges such as language barriers and cultural differences, which can contribute to ongoing stress. Although these issues are not unique to Asian Americans, researchers say they may be particularly relevant in this context.
“Stress and feelings of hopelessness may go unnoticed in an aging population, but they play an important role in brain aging,” said Chen, who is also an assistant professor of neurology at Rutgers University’s Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine. “These emotions are modifiable, so the goal of this study is to inform culturally sensitive stress reduction interventions to reduce these emotions in older adults.”
Large-scale study tracks memory changes over time
To better understand these effects, the team analyzed data from the China Elderly Population Survey (PINE), the largest community-based cohort study focused on older Chinese Americans. This dataset includes interviews conducted between 2011 and 2017 with more than 1,500 participants living in the Chicago area.
Researchers investigated three major social behavioral factors: internalizing stress, neighborhood or community cohesion, and external stress reduction.
Key findings indicating internalized stress
Among these factors, internalized stress stands out. This form of stress includes feelings of hopelessness and a tendency to absorb stressful experiences rather than express or resolve them. This was strongly associated with worse memory performance across the three waves of the PINE study.
In contrast, no other factors showed significant relationships with memory change over time.
Implications for prevention and support
Because internalized stress may be manageable, our findings suggest an opportunity to develop targeted strategies to support older adults’ mental and cognitive health. Researchers emphasize the importance of culturally sensitive approaches that consider the unique experiences of aging immigrant populations.
The study was supported by the Rutgers New York University Resource Center for Asian Pacific American Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research, co-led by William Hu of the Rutgers Health Research Institute and the Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Co-authors include Yiming Ma, Charu Verma, Stephanie Bergren, and William Hu of Rutgers Health Research Institute.
