Further education improves cognitive reserve and triggers improvement in selective cognitive functions in older adults: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project

Megan E Thow; Mathew J Summers; Nichole L Saunders; Jeffery J Summers; Karen Ritchie; James C Vickers

doi:10.1016/j.dadm.2017.08.004

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Further education improves cognitive reserve and triggers improvement in selective cognitive functions in older adults: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project

Journal article

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Further education improves cognitive reserve and triggers improvement in selective cognitive functions in older adults: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project

Megan E Thow, Mathew J Summers, Nichole L Saunders, Jeffery J Summers, Karen Ritchie and James C Vickers

Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, Vol.10, pp.22-30

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadm.2017.08.004

PMCID: PMC5633863

PMID: 29034310

Appears in UniSC Diversity and Inclusion Research Collection

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Abstract

cognitive reserve

education

aging

neuropsychological

crystallized function

fluid function

episodic memory

working memory

language processing

executive function

UniSC Diversity Area - Life Stages

Introduction: The strong link between early-life education and subsequent reduced risk of dementia suggests that education in later life could enhance cognitive function and may reduce age-related cognitive decline and protect against dementia. Methods: Episodic memory, working memory, executive function, and language processing performances were assessed annually over 4 years in 359 healthy older adults who attended university for a minimum of 12 months (intervention) and were compared against 100 healthy adult controls. Results: Multiple group latent growth curve modeling revealed a significant improvement in language processing capacity over time in the intervention group. No changes were detected for episodic memory, working memory, or executive function. Discussion: These results suggest that complex mental stimulation resulting from late-life further education results in improved crystallized knowledge but no changes to fluid cognitive functions.

Details

Title: Further education improves cognitive reserve and triggers improvement in selective cognitive functions in older adults: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project
Authors: Megan E Thow (Author) - University of Tasmania
Mathew J Summers (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Nichole L Saunders (Author) - University of Tasmania
Jeffery J Summers (Author) - University of Tasmania
Karen Ritchie (Author) - Inserm
James C Vickers (Author) - University of Tasmania
Publication details: Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, Vol.10, pp.22-30
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.dadm.2017.08.004
ISSN: 2352-8729
PMID: 29034310; PMC5633863
Copyright note: © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the Alzheimer's Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/ 4.0/)
Grants: The Tasmanian Healthy Brain Project: a longitudinal intervention study to reduce the risk of ageing-related cognitive decline and dementia, 1108794, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
The Healthy Brain Project: A prospective cohort study to examine how later-life university education may affect the trajectory of ageing-related cognitive decline, 1003645, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - NHMRC
Organisation Unit: School of Health; School of Social Sciences - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Health - Psychology; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450917402621
Output Type: Journal article

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