HBCU attendance may be linked to Black alumni brain health
A recent study found that attending a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) may be linked to better brain health in middle-aged and aging Black alumni. The study discovered that HBCU alumni outperformed their peers from predominantly white institutions in memory, language, and overall cognition decades later.
Researchers examined 1,978 Black American adults who attended college between 1940 and 1980. 35% of the participants had attended an HBCU. The study found that HBCU attendance was associated with better cognition compared to predominantly white institution attendance. The study used data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study. 56% of the Black participants lived in the Stroke Belt, eight Southern states with higher stroke deaths. HBCU alumni had better memory, language, and overall cognition. They outperformed their peers from predominantly white institutions decades later. The study suggests that culturally affirming spaces can promote and protect cognitive health. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings. The researchers found that segregation-ending policies may affect brain health long term. The study's findings have implications for understanding the relationship between education and cognitive health in Black Americans.
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