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Application of Granger Causality Analysis of the Directed Functional Connection in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Published on: August 7, 2017
Mapping the connections between education and dementia
Ian McDowell1, Guoliang Xi, Joan Lindsay
1Department of Epidemiology & Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. mcdowell@uottawa.ca
Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology
|March 17, 2007
Summary
Higher educational attainment is linked to a lower risk of dementia later in life. This association persists even after accounting for various lifestyle and cognitive factors, suggesting a real protective effect of education.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Educational attainment is associated with dementia risk.
- Explanations include study artifacts, socioeconomic factors, or cognitive reserve.
- The Canadian Study of Health and Aging provides longitudinal data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between educational attainment and dementia risk.
- To test hypotheses regarding potential confounding and mediating factors.
- To determine if the association is artefactual or reflects genuine protective mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (N=6646).
- Examination of relative risk (RR) of dementia based on years of education.
- Statistical adjustments for socioeconomic status, health, lifestyle, intelligence, and mental activity.
Main Results:
- A strong association was found between lower educational attainment and increased dementia risk (RR=2.1).
- Artefactual factors were insufficient to explain the entire association.
- Adjustments for confounders reduced but did not eliminate the association.
Conclusions:
- A real association exists between educational attainment and dementia risk 50-60 years later.
- Multiple pathways, including cognitive reserve and potentially others, mediate this effect.
- Education may confer long-term protection against dementia.
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