A study by UK and Finnish team suggest that education can help in compensating for the effects caused by dementia on the human brain. Though the signs of dementia in brains at death were more or less similar in both the highly educated and the less educated ones, the former were found to display symptoms less likely.
But the scientists are yet to find the reason for this effect.
Studies on dementia in the past few years have shown that the risk of dementia is reduced if an individual spends more time in education. But whether education actually protects against dementia in brain wasn’t proved.
The study involved examination of 872 brains of individuals who were asked to complete questionnaires on their education details before their deaths. This revealed that those with more education were able to compensate for dementia effects on the brain in a better way. Interestingly, the risk of developing dementia decreased by 11% for each year utilized in education.
When effected by dementia, proteins are built up in brain thus damaging nerve cells. Education was not successful in preventing the damage but it sure enabled the brain to cope in a better way and lighten its impact.
However, the pathology of the brains of the individuals with long education and of those without one showed the signs of the disease at similar levels. A person shows more signs of dementia while another may show less, but still there are equal chances of both having dementia.
This study can help in strengthening the fact that early years of education, considered as a means for healthier lifestyles and better socio-economic status, can make a strong impact on the whole lifespan.
Source:
BBC News
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by on 26. Jul, 2010 in Health News
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