Higher education could protect you from developing dementia in later life by providing protective benefits for your cognitive ability, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki found that the more education you receive, the better protection you have from cognitive decline in old age.
The study, published in PLOS One, analysed data from a study taken over 50 years, which revealed that the number of years a person has in education will impact them more than half a century later.
Anni Varjonen, the study’s lead author, said: “Education might help build cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to compensate for the effects of ageing.
“Dementia is a complex disease with various lifestyle factors associated with increased/decreased risk. Not everyone can pursue a long formal education, but other activities could help reduce dementia risk and build cognitive reserve.”
Ms Varjonen said this includes social engagement, physical activity, managed blood pressure, cholesterol, and healthy lifestyle habits like diet, and avoidance of smoking or excessive alcohol consumption.
Their research was based on a long-term study that began in 1975 and monitored participants’ health for 50 years. It investigated how the risk and protective factors that were measured at the beginning of the study predicted cognitive function in people over 90.
Participants had to state what level of education they received, ranging from primary school, secondary school, to vocational training, or university.
The study showed that education had a consistent protective association with cognitive performance at the age of 90. People who had attended school for 12 years or longer performed better in cognitive tests than those who had less than seven years of education. Participants who had between 7 and 11 years of education also outperformed those in the lower category.
“The protective effect of higher education, even at the age of 90, may be related to the brain’s ability to compensate for the effects of aging, a capacity strengthened by education,” said Ms Varjonen.
The study also sought to identify associations with cardiovascular risk and old age cognition, but did not observe any.
Eero Vuoksimaa, who also led the study, said: “This is an important topic, as there has been very little research on cognitive aging in people in their nineties, even though this age group is set to grow in the future. In addition, the likelihood of memory disorders is highest in late old age.”
Researchers also noted that education levels are often associated with factors, such as socioeconomic factors and childhood cognitive performance, which could also be linked to better protected cognition.
In 2023, researchers from Japan found that taking an adult education class could help lower your risk of dementia. The study found a 19 per cent reduced chance of developing dementia within five years among middle-aged and senior citizens.
According to Alzheimer’s Society, around 1 million people currently have dementia in the UK. By 2040, this is expected to rise to 1.4 million.
