Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons

Denis A. Evans; Laurel A. Beckett; Marilyn S. Albert; Liesi E. Hebert; Paul A. Scherr; H. Harris Funkenstein; James O. Taylor

doi:10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S

Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons

Denis A. Evans, Laurel A. Beckett, Marilyn S. Albert, Liesi E. Hebert, Paul A. Scherr, H. Harris Funkenstein, James O. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

254 Scopus citations

Abstract

In a community population of persons over the age of 65, cognitive function was assessed using brief performance tests on two occasions 3 years apart. Those with fewer years of formal education consistently had greater declines in cognitive function, independently of age, birthplace, language of interview, occupation, and income. These prospective findings suggest that low educational attainment or a correlate predicts cognitive decline. It is not clear, however, whether this relation represents a direct effect of education on future cognition, whether education might be related to occurrence of a disease leading to cognitive decline in older persons, or whether education might be a surrogate for some variable not included in the study.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	71-77
Number of pages	7
Journal	Annals of epidemiology
Volume	3
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S
State	Published - Jan 1993
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Alzheimer's disease
Cognitive function
aging
community studies
education
longitudinal studies

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Epidemiology

Access to Document

10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S

Cite this

@article{083efefe9128456eb46b52561c8a0a8b,

title = "Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons",

abstract = "In a community population of persons over the age of 65, cognitive function was assessed using brief performance tests on two occasions 3 years apart. Those with fewer years of formal education consistently had greater declines in cognitive function, independently of age, birthplace, language of interview, occupation, and income. These prospective findings suggest that low educational attainment or a correlate predicts cognitive decline. It is not clear, however, whether this relation represents a direct effect of education on future cognition, whether education might be related to occurrence of a disease leading to cognitive decline in older persons, or whether education might be a surrogate for some variable not included in the study.",

keywords = "Alzheimer's disease, Cognitive function, aging, community studies, education, longitudinal studies",

author = "Evans, {Denis A.} and Beckett, {Laurel A.} and Albert, {Marilyn S.} and Hebert, {Liesi E.} and Scherr, {Paul A.} and Funkenstein, {H. Harris} and Taylor, {James O.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by a contract (NOl-AC-O-2107), grant (AC 05362), and cooperative agreement (AC 06789) with the US National Institute on Aging.",

year = "1993",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "3",

pages = "71--77",

journal = "Annals of epidemiology",

issn = "1047-2797",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons

AU - Evans, Denis A.

AU - Beckett, Laurel A.

AU - Albert, Marilyn S.

AU - Hebert, Liesi E.

AU - Scherr, Paul A.

AU - Funkenstein, H. Harris

AU - Taylor, James O.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by a contract (NOl-AC-O-2107), grant (AC 05362), and cooperative agreement (AC 06789) with the US National Institute on Aging.

PY - 1993/1

Y1 - 1993/1

N2 - In a community population of persons over the age of 65, cognitive function was assessed using brief performance tests on two occasions 3 years apart. Those with fewer years of formal education consistently had greater declines in cognitive function, independently of age, birthplace, language of interview, occupation, and income. These prospective findings suggest that low educational attainment or a correlate predicts cognitive decline. It is not clear, however, whether this relation represents a direct effect of education on future cognition, whether education might be related to occurrence of a disease leading to cognitive decline in older persons, or whether education might be a surrogate for some variable not included in the study.

AB - In a community population of persons over the age of 65, cognitive function was assessed using brief performance tests on two occasions 3 years apart. Those with fewer years of formal education consistently had greater declines in cognitive function, independently of age, birthplace, language of interview, occupation, and income. These prospective findings suggest that low educational attainment or a correlate predicts cognitive decline. It is not clear, however, whether this relation represents a direct effect of education on future cognition, whether education might be related to occurrence of a disease leading to cognitive decline in older persons, or whether education might be a surrogate for some variable not included in the study.

KW - Alzheimer's disease

KW - Cognitive function

KW - aging

KW - community studies

KW - education

KW - longitudinal studies

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0027401849&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0027401849&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S

DO - 10.1016/1047-2797(93)90012-S

M3 - Article

C2 - 8287159

AN - SCOPUS:0027401849

SN - 1047-2797

VL - 3

SP - 71

EP - 77

JO - Annals of epidemiology

JF - Annals of epidemiology

IS - 1

ER -

Level of education and change in cognitive function in a community population of older persons

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this