Education, neighborhood environment, and cognitive decline: Findings from two prospective cohort studies of older adults in China

Yingzhe Wang; Yanfeng Jiang; Wanqing Wu; Kelin Xu; Qianhua Zhao; Ziyi Tan; Xiaoniu Liang; Min Fan; Zhenxu Xiao; Li Zheng; Saineng Ding; Qiang Dong; Zhen Hong; Li Jin; Xingdong Chen; Ding Ding; Mei Cui

doi:10.1002/alz.12679

Education, neighborhood environment, and cognitive decline: Findings from two prospective cohort studies of older adults in China

Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Feb;19(2):560-568. doi: 10.1002/alz.12679. Epub 2022 May 31.

Authors

Yingzhe Wang^{1

2

3}, Yanfeng Jiang^{2

3}, Wanqing Wu^{1

4

5}, Kelin Xu^{3

6}, Qianhua Zhao^{1

4

5

7}, Ziyi Tan^{2

3}, Xiaoniu Liang^{1

4

5}, Min Fan⁸, Zhenxu Xiao^{1

4

5}, Li Zheng^{1

4

5}, Saineng Ding^{1

4

5}, Qiang Dong^{1

4

5

7}, Zhen Hong^{1

4}, Li Jin^{2

3}, Xingdong Chen^{2

3

5}, Ding Ding^{1

4

5}, Mei Cui^{1

4

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
³ Fudan University Taizhou Institute of Health Sciences, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China.
⁴ National Center for Neurological Disorders, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁵ National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁶ Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, and the Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁷ MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
⁸ Taixing Disease Control and Prevention Center, Taizhou, Jiangsu, China.

PMID: 35639636
DOI: 10.1002/alz.12679

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.

Keywords: China; cognition; cohort; education; neighborhood environment; prospective study.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
China / epidemiology
Cognition
Cognitive Dysfunction* / epidemiology
Educational Status
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Neighborhood Characteristics
Prospective Studies