Education, neighborhood environment, and cognitive decline: Findings from two prospective cohort studies of older adults in China. Issue 2 (31st May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yingzhe; Jiang, Yanfeng; Wu, Wanqing; Xu, Kelin; Zhao, Qianhua; Tan, Ziyi; Liang, Xiaoniu; Fan, Min; Xiao, Zhenxu; Zheng, Li; Ding, Saineng; Dong, Qiang; Hong, Zhen; Jin, Li; Chen, Xingdong; Ding, Ding; Cui, Mei
• Is Part Of: Alzheimer's & dementia. Volume 19:Issue 2(2023)
• Page Start: 560
• Page End: 568
• Publication Date: 2022-05-31
• Subjects: China -- cognition -- cohort -- education -- neighborhood environment -- prospective study; Alzheimer's disease -- Periodicals; Alzheimer Disease -- Periodicals; Dementia -- Periodicals; Démence; Maladie d'Alzheimer; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.83
• DOI: 10.1002/alz.12679
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1552-5260

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: The impacts of education on cognitive decline across different neighborhood environments (NEs) have rarely been studied. Methods: We investigated and compared the associations between educational attainment and cognitive decline using data of 1286 participants from the Taizhou Imaging Study (TIS) and the Shanghai Aging Study (SAS). Results: Compared with low‐educated participants, in TIS with disadvantaged NE, high‐educated participants manifested a significantly slower decline in global cognition (.062 Z score per year, P < .001), memory (.054 Z score per year, P < .05), and attention (.065 Z score per year, P < .01), whereas in SAS with advanced NE, highly educated individuals exhibited a slower decline only in attention (.028 Z score per year, P < .05). Discussion: We observed the additive effect of educational attainment and NE on cognitive decline in older adults. Education is especially important for maintaining cognitive health in a disadvantaged environment.