Can One Extra Year of School Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

A new study suggests that spending one additional year in school may provide some protection against memory decline in old age and Alzheimer’s disease. British researchers examined the effects of an education reform introduced in the United Kingdom in 1972, when the minimum school-leaving age was raised from 15 to 16.

Using data from the UK Biobank, the researchers compared the health of people born before September 1957 with those born after that point. This cutoff made it possible to compare individuals who would previously have been able to leave school at age 15 with those who, under the new rules, were required to remain in education for one additional year.

Among people who received an extra year of education because of the reform, Alzheimer’s-related outcomes were observed about 0.88% less often. The researchers also examined participants’ genetic data. Even among people carrying the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, an additional year of schooling was linked to a lower likelihood of developing the condition.