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Education and cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease
1Department of Neurology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver 80262, USA.
Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
Higher education levels correlate with better verbal skills in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, similar to normal aging. This study investigated verbal and nonverbal test performance in 51 AD individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- A known association exists between education level and verbal abilities in normal aging.
- Clinical observations suggest this relationship may extend to Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the correlation between premorbid education level and neuropsychological test performance in patients with probable AD.
- To determine if education influences verbal and nonverbal cognitive functions in AD.
Main Methods:
- Evaluated 51 patients with probable AD using selected verbal and nonverbal neuropsychological tests.
- Assessed verbal abilities using the National Adult Reading Test-Revised (NART-R) and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) Vocabulary subtest.
- Assessed nonverbal abilities using WAIS-R Block Design, WAIS-R Digit Symbol, and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination clock drawings.
Main Results:
- Performance on verbal measures (NART-R, WAIS-R Vocabulary) strongly correlated with education level.
- Scores on nonverbal tests (Block Design, Digit Symbol, clock drawings) were not related to education.
- AD patients with higher premorbid education demonstrated superior performance on specific verbal competence measures.
Conclusions:
- Education level is associated with verbal abilities in Alzheimer's disease patients.
- This finding mirrors the relationship observed in normal aging.
- Premorbid education may serve as a protective factor or indicator of cognitive reserve in AD.