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Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
The effects of education on cognition in older age: Evidence from genotyped Siblings
Jason Fletcher1, Michael Topping2, Fengyi Zheng3
1La Follette School of Public Affairs and Department of Sociology, Center for Demography of Health and Aging, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
Abstract:
A growing literature has sought to tie educational attainment with later-life cognition and Alzheimer's disease outcomes. This paper leverages sibling comparisons in educational attainment as well as genetic predictors (polygenic scores) for cognition, educational attainment, and Alzheimer's disease to estimate effects of educational attainment on cognition in older age in the United Kingdom. We find that the effects of education on cognition are confounded by family background factors (~40%) and by genetics (<10%). After adjustments, we continue to find large effects of education. College graduates have cognition scores that are approximately 0.75 SD higher than those who report no credentials. We also find evidence that educational effects on cognition are smaller for those with high polygenic scores for Alzheimer's disease.
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