Educational attainment does not influence brain aging

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 r...

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Published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS Vol. 118; no. 18; pp. 1 - 3
Main Authors Nyberg, Lars, Magnussen, Fredrik, Lundquist, Anders, Baaré, William, Bartrés-Faz, David, Bertram, Lars, Boraxbekk, C. J., Brandmaier, Andreas M., Drevon, Christian A., Ebmeier, Klaus, Ghisletta, Paolo, Henson, Richard N., Junqué, Carme, Kievit, Rogier, Kleemeyer, Maike, Knights, Ethan, Kühn, Simone, Lindenberger, Ulman, Penninx, Brenda W. J. H., Pudas, Sara, Sørensen, Øystein, Vaqué-Alcázar, Lídia, Walhovd, Kristine B., Fjell, Anders M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States National Academy of Sciences 04.05.2021
SeriesBrief Report
Subjects
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ISSN0027-8424
1091-6490
1091-6490
DOI10.1073/pnas.2101644118

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Summary: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.
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Author contributions: L.N., K.B.W., and A.M.F. designed research; F.M., A.L., and Ø.S. analyzed the data; and L.N., F.M., A.L., W.B., D.B.-F., L.B., C.J.B., A.M.B., C.A.D., K.E., P.G., R.N.H., C.J., R.K., M.K., E.K., S.K., U.L., B.W.J.H.P., S.P., Ø.S., L.V.-A., K.B.W., and A.M.F. wrote the paper.
Edited by Peter L. Strick, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, and approved March 10, 2021 (received for review January 28, 2021)
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.2101644118