. 2021 Jan;17(1):70-80.

doi: 10.1002/alz.12176. Epub 2020 Aug 22.

Education differentially contributes to cognitive reserve across racial/ethnic groups

Justina F Avila¹, Miguel Arce Rentería^{2

3

4}, Richard N Jones⁵, Jet M J Vonk^{2

3

4

6}, Indira Turney^{2

3

4}, Ketlyne Sol⁷, Dominika Seblova^{2

3

4}, Franchesca Arias⁸, Tanisha Hill-Jarrett⁹, Shellie-Anne Levy¹⁰, Oanh Meyer¹¹, Annie M Racine¹², Sarah E Tom^{3

4

13}, Rebecca J Melrose¹⁴, Kacie Deters¹⁵, Luis D Medina¹⁶, Carmen I Carrión¹⁷, Mirella Díaz-Santos¹⁸, DeAnnah R Byrd¹⁹, Anthony Chesebro^{2

3

4}, Juliet Colon^{2

3

4}, Kay C Igwe^{2

3

4}, Benjamin Maas^{2

3

4}, Adam M Brickman^{2

3

4}, Nicole Schupf^{2

3

4}, Richard Mayeux^{2

3

4}, Jennifer J Manly^{2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
² Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
³ Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
⁶ Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
⁸ Aging Brain Center, Hebrew Senior Life, Harvard Medical School Affiliate, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Florida, Florida, Tampa, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
¹¹ Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.
¹² Biogen Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
¹³ Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
¹⁴ VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los, Angeles, California, USA.
¹⁹ Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

PMID: 32827354
PMCID: PMC8376080
DOI: 10.1002/alz.12176

Education differentially contributes to cognitive reserve across racial/ethnic groups

Justina F Avila et al. Alzheimers Dement. 2021 Jan.

. 2021 Jan;17(1):70-80.

doi: 10.1002/alz.12176. Epub 2020 Aug 22.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
² Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
³ Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurology, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Butler Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
⁶ Department of Epidemiology, Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
⁷ Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
⁸ Aging Brain Center, Hebrew Senior Life, Harvard Medical School Affiliate, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
⁹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Florida, Florida, Tampa, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
¹¹ Department of Neurology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, California, USA.
¹² Biogen Inc, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
¹³ Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
¹⁴ VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
¹⁷ Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los, Angeles, California, USA.
¹⁹ Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

PMID: 32827354
PMCID: PMC8376080
DOI: 10.1002/alz.12176

Abstract

Introduction: We examined whether educational attainment differentially contributes to cognitive reserve (CR) across race/ethnicity.

Methods: A total of 1553 non-Hispanic Whites (Whites), non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks), and Hispanics in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) completed structural magnetic resonance imaging. Mixture growth curve modeling was used to examine whether the effect of brain integrity indicators (hippocampal volume, cortical thickness, and white matter hyperintensity [WMH] volumes) on memory and language trajectories was modified by education across racial/ethnic groups.

Results: Higher educational attainment attenuated the negative impact of WMH burden on memory (β = -0.03; 99% CI: -0.071, -0.002) and language decline (β = -0.024; 99% CI:- 0.044, -0.004), as well as the impact of cortical thinning on level of language performance for Whites, but not for Blacks or Hispanics.

Discussion: Educational attainment does not contribute to CR similarly across racial/ethnic groups.

Keywords: cognitive aging; cognitive reserve; education; racial/ethnic differences.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors listed certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Figures

**FIGURE 1**
Schematic representation of conceptual framework

**FIGURE 2**
Schematic representation of derived imaging sample

**FIGURE 3**
Education x white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume interactions on decline in memory and language performance across racial/ethnic groups. The panel on the left shows that for Whites, the relationship between WMH burden and memory and language decline was weaker among those with higher education (16 years) than among those with lower education (8 years and 12 years). For Blacks and Hispanics (middle and right panels), the relationship between WMH burden and memory and language decline was similar across education levels

**FIGURE 4**
Education x cortical thickness interactions on level and decline in language performance across racial/ethnic groups. The panel on the left shows that for Whites, the relationship between cortical thickness and current level of language functioning was weaker among those with higher education (16 years) than among those with lower education (8 years and 12 years). For Blacks and Hispanics (middle and right panels), the relationship between cortical thickness and language level and decline was similar across education levels

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Education differentially contributes to cognitive reserve across racial/ethnic groups

Affiliations

Education differentially contributes to cognitive reserve across racial/ethnic groups

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources