Educational attainment does not influence brain aging.
Published version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Nyberg, Lars https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3367-1746
Magnussen, Fredrik https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2574-1705
Lundquist, Anders
Baaré, William https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1810-7266
Bartrés-Faz, David
Abstract
Education has been related to various advantageous lifetime outcomes. Here, using longitudinal structural MRI data (4,422 observations), we tested the influential hypothesis that higher education translates into slower rates of brain aging. Cross-sectionally, education was modestly associated with regional cortical volume. However, despite marked mean atrophy in the cortex and hippocampus, education did not influence rates of change. The results were replicated across two independent samples. Our findings challenge the view that higher education slows brain aging.
Description
Keywords
aging, cerebral cortex, education, hippocampus, reserve, Aged, Aging, Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Education, Female, Hippocampus, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged
Journal Title
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
0027-8424
1091-6490
1091-6490
Volume Title
118
Publisher
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Publisher DOI
Sponsorship
European Commission (732592)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00005/8)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/H008217/1)
Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00005/8)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/H008217/1)