Using sibling models to unpack the relationship between education and cognitive functioning in later life
1Georgetown University, McCourt School of Public Policy, 37 and O Streets, NW. Old North, Suite 100, Washington, DC, 20057, USA.
SSM - Population Health
|January 5, 2022
Summary
Higher educational attainment protects cognitive function in older adults, but not solely due to earlier cognitive abilities. This highlights the independent value of education for brain health.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- Increasing dementia prevalence necessitates understanding factors influencing cognitive function in aging populations.
- Educational attainment is linked to better cognitive function in later life, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear.
- Prior research on the 'why' is limited by methodological constraints and unexplored explanations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms linking educational attainment to preserved cognitive function in older adults.
- To test antecedent factors (family, adolescent IQ, genetics) and mediating factors (health behaviors, health).
- To address limitations in prior studies using sibling models and longitudinal data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) with 80 years of prospective data.
- Employed sibling models to control for genetic and environmental confounds.
- Included prospectively collected early and midlife covariates (family environment, adolescent IQ, genetics, health behaviors, health).
Main Results:
- Found minimal evidence for genetic endowments, early environments, or midlife health explaining the education-cognition link.
- Adolescent cognition was a significant factor, with higher educational attainment linked to better adolescent cognitive functioning.
- Both adolescent cognition and educational attainment independently predicted later life cognitive functioning with similar effect sizes.
Conclusions:
- The protective association of education on cognitive function is not solely explained by adolescent cognitive abilities.
- Adolescent cognition and educational attainment represent distinct, independent contributors to cognitive health in later life.
- Findings underscore the importance of both cognitive development in adolescence and educational opportunities for lifelong cognitive well-being.
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