Associations between education and brain structure at age 73 years, adjusted for age 11 IQ.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To investigate how associations between education and brain structure in older age were affected by adjusting for IQ measured at age 11.

Methods

We analyzed years of full-time education and measures from an MRI brain scan at age 73 in 617 community-dwelling adults born in 1936. In addition to average and vertex-wise cortical thickness, we measured total brain atrophy and white matter tract fractional anisotropy. Associations between brain structure and education were tested, covarying for sex and vascular health; a second model also covaried for age 11 IQ.

Results

The significant relationship between education and average cortical thickness (β = 0.124, p = 0.004) was reduced by 23% when age 11 IQ was included (β = 0.096, p = 0.041). Initial associations betw

SUBMITTER: Cox SR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5089529 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature