Education reduces risk of Alzheimer's

Results from a recent study, undertaken at the University of Cambridge, support previous studies and bolster the theory that educational attainment is associated with a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

 

 

Many studies have shown that certain risk factors are more common in people with Alzheimer’s disease, but determining whether these factors actually cause Alzheimer’s is more difficult.

Professor Hugh Markus from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge

Alzheimer’s disease, which is the leading cause of dementia, is characterised by ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ of misshapen proteins, which lead to the gradual death of brain cells. Those affected by Alzheimer’s experience memory and communication problems, disorientation, changes in behaviour and progressive loss of independence.

Despite there being no proven cause or cure for Alzheimer’s, incidence in the UK is falling (according to research from the Cambridge Institute of Public Health). This is most commonly believed to be owing to improved education, diet and exercise and reduced smoking.

Professor Markus led a study to unpick these factors using Mendelian randomisation, looking at an individual’s DNA and comparing genes associated with environmental risk factors – for example, genes linked to educational attainment or to smoking – and seeing which of these genes are also associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

 

 

“This provides further strong evidence that education is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It suggests that improving education could have a significant effect on reducing the number of people who suffer from this devastating disease.”

First author Dr Susanna Larsson, the Karolinska Institute, Sweden

Previous studies have shown that the same amount of damage in the brain is associated with less severe and less frequent Alzheimer’s in people who have received more education. One possible explanation is the idea of ‘cognitive reserve’ – the ability to recruit alternative brain networks or to use brain structures or networks not normally used to compensate for brain ageing. Evidence suggests that education helps improve brain wiring and networks and hence could increase this reserve. The researchers also looked at other environmental risk factors, including smoking, vitamin D, and alcohol and coffee consumption. However, their results proved inconclusive.