A recent study has found that older adults who are more vulnerable to financial exploitation may be experiencing early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s disease, even before any cognitive symptoms are noticeable. This research sheds light on how subtle brain degeneration can affect decision-making, potentially putting older people at greater risk of falling victim to financial scams.
The study focused on a specific region of the brain called the entorhinal cortex, which is one of the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s. The entorhinal cortex plays a critical role in memory and navigation. Researchers looked at 97 older adults who showed no signs of cognitive impairment but found that those with thinner entorhinal cortexes were more likely to be vulnerable to financial scams.
Additionally, the study explored the link between the frontal regions of the brain—areas responsible for decision-making—and financial vulnerability. The researchers also discovered that the relationship between brain thinning and scam susceptibility was particularly strong in adults over the age of 70.
These findings suggest that a loss of brain tissue in the entorhinal cortex could lead to risky decision-making, making older adults easier targets for financial exploitation. This decline may be an early sign of brain aging, including preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, where brain degeneration occurs years before any noticeable symptoms of memory loss or confusion.
One common scam that older adults may fall victim to is the “grandparent scam.” In this scenario, scammers call an elderly person, pretending to be their grandchild in trouble. The scammer may claim to have been arrested, in a car accident, or need money urgently. In a state of panic, the grandparent may quickly send money or provide sensitive financial information, believing they are helping a loved one.
As the study suggests, even cognitively healthy older adults may be more susceptible to such scams if they are unknowingly experiencing brain changes that affect their ability to judge risky situations. This research highlights the need for increased awareness and protective measures for older adults, especially those who may be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, to reduce the risk of financial exploitation.
Citation(s):
Fenton, L., Salminen, L., Lim, A., Weissberger, G., Nguyen, A., Axelrod, J., Noriega-Makarskyy, D., Yassine, H., Mosqueda, L., & Han, S. (2024). Lower entorhinal cortex thickness is associated with greater financial exploitation vulnerability in cognitively unimpaired older adults. Cerebral Cortex, 34. https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae360
