Cited by 591Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchCognitive Abilities and TestingAlzheimer's disease research and treatments

Relationship Between Education and Dementia: An Updated Systematic Review

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Sharp, Emily Schoenhofen, Gatz, Margaret·2011·Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review the relationship between education and dementia. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted of all published studies examining the relationship between education and dementia listed in the PubMed and PsycINFO databases from January 1985 to July 2010. The inclusion criteria were a measure of education and a dementia diagnosis by a standardized diagnostic procedure. Alzheimer disease and Total Dementia were the outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 88 study populations from 71 studies met inclusion criteria. Overall, 51 studies (58%) reported significant effects of lower education on risk for dementia, whereas 37 studies (42%) reported no significant relationship. A relationship between education and risk for dementia was more consistent in developed regions compared with developing regions. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and geographical region moderated the relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Lower education was associated with a greater risk for dementia in many but not all studies. The level of education associated with risk for dementia varied by study population and more years of education did not uniformly attenuate the risk for dementia. It seemed that a more consistent relationship with dementia occurred when years of education reflected cognitive capacity, suggesting that the effect of education on risk for dementia may be best evaluated within the context of a lifespan developmental model.

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  1. [1]Mortimer JA Henderson AS Henderson JH Do psychosocial risk factors contribute to Alzheimer’s disease? Etiology of Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type New York John Wiley & Sons 1988 39 52
  2. [13]Roth M Huppert FA Tym E CAMDEX: The Cambridge Examination of Mental Disorders of the Elderly Cambridge, England Cambridge University Press 1988
  3. [89]Manly JJ Schupf N Tang M Stern Y Literacy and cognitive decline among ethnically diverse elders Cognitive Reserve: Theory and Applications Philadelphia, PA Taylor & Francis 2007 219 235

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Authors
Sharp, E. S., & Gatz, M.
Affiliations
University of Southern California (US)
Venue
Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders
Published
2011-10
Volume
25
Issue
4
Pages
289-304
ISSN
0893-0341 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2079133792
Cited by
591
References
87
Citations by year
2026: 43 · 2025: 63 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 64 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 39 · 2018: 34 · 2017: 34 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 10
FWCI
1.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Demensförbundet
  • National Institute on Aging (5T32-AG-00037, T32AG000037)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
Keywords
education, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, dementia risk, years of schooling, cognitive ability, developmental model, moderators
MeSH terms
Alzheimer Disease, Dementia, Educational Measurement, Educational Status, Humans, Risk Factors, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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