Changes in the brain linked to a risk of Alzheimer's disease may also make some older adults vulnerable to financial scams, according to new research. Alzheimer's patients can become targets for various forms of financial exploitation, according to the Alzheimer's Association. These scams include robbery, purse snatching, car theft, home repair scams, phone solicitors and even burglars.
According to the National Institute on Aging, problems managing money and with financial decision-making in general may be among the first signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, the new research suggests that vulnerability to scams may emerge before Alzheimer's symptoms appear. A study at the University of Southern California’s Dornsife College examined subjects who showed no signs of clinical impairment.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Financial scam vulnerability
The researchers focused on a region of the brain that acts as a relay station between the hippocampus — the brain’s learning and memory center — and the medial prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotion, motivation and other cognitive functions. The researchers used a high-powered MRI to examine the brains of 97 study participants, ages 52 to 83, focusing on the thickness of this region, known as the entorhinal cortex. According to the researchers, thinning of the entorhinal cortex is often the first sign of changes caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers also used a standardized tool called a Perceived Financial Exploitation Vulnerability Scale to assess the participants’ financial awareness and their susceptibility to poor financial decisions, which they term “financial exploitation vulnerability,” or FEV.
Those subjects deemed more vulnerable to financial scams had a thinner entorhinal cortex, especially those aged 70 and older. Previous research has linked FEV to mild cognitive impairment, dementia and molecular brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s.
Study leader Duke Han, professor of psychology and family medicine, says the findings provide evidence supporting the idea that FEV could eventually become a new clinical tool that could be used to contribute to a broader risk profile that could help detect cognitive changes in older adults — changes that are often difficult to detect. “Assessing financial vulnerability in older adults could help identify those who are in the early stages of mild cognitive impairment or dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease,” Han says, adding that financial vulnerability alone is not a definitive indicator of Alzheimer’s disease or other cognitive decline.
Study limitations
Han also notes several limitations of the study, which was supported by grants from the National Institute of Aging. For example, the study doesn’t prove a link between entorhinal cortex thickness and FEV. Moreover, the study participants were mostly older, educated White women, and it’s not clear the findings could be applied to a broader population. Consequently, Hann suggested further research on more diverse populations is needed before FEV can be considered a reliable cognitive assessment tool.
Note: A version of this item first appeared in Kiplinger Retirement Report, our popular monthly periodical that covers key concerns of affluent older Americans who are retired or preparing for retirement. Subscribe for retirement advice that’s right on the money.
Read More
-
I'm want to give my 3 grandkids $5K each for Christmas.You're comfortably retired and want to give your grandkids a big Christmas check, but their parents are worried they might spend it all. We ask the pros for help.
-
If You're Not Doing Roth Conversions, You Need to Read ThisRoth conversions and other Roth strategies can be complex, but don't dismiss these tax planning tools outright. They could really work for you and your heirs.
-
Could Traditional Retirement Expectations Be Killing Us?A retirement psychologist makes the case: A fulfilling retirement begins with a blueprint for living, rather than simply the accumulation of a large nest egg.
-
21 Money Moves Smart People Are Making Before 2026These steps can help trim your tax bill, boost your savings, lower your health care costs and set you up for financial success in 2026.
-
3 Ways to Stretch the 2026 Social Security COLA For Your BudgetThree steps retirees can take to stretch the Social Security COLA to fit their budgets.
-
Giving Tuesday 2025: 'Every Small Act Makes a Major Difference'GivingTuesday encourages generosity in any form, from donating to charity to helping your neighbors.
-
How to Position Your Portfolio for Lower Interest RatesThe Federal Reserve is far from done with its rate-cutting regime. This is how investors can prepare.
-
Moves to Manage the Soaring Costs of Owning a CarIt's costing more and more to keep a car on the road, but you can drive some costs down. Here's how to get a better deal on insurance premiums, repairs and gas
-
Pickleball Injuries are Getting Out of Hand for Some AdultsAs more older adults take up pickleball, injuries are on the rise. Here's how you can lower your risk and still have a ball.
-
Are You Prepared to Live Longer? MIT AgeLab Answers QuestionsA new measure of longevity readiness indicates that for many Americans, the answer is no — and suggests what is needed to get on track.
-
Government Research Cuts Hit Older AdultsThe Trump administration has slashed funding for medical research, delaying some treatments and cures for health conditions affecting retirees.
