Mild cognitive impairment: effect of education on the verbal and nonverbal tasks performance decline

Abstract

We sought to longitudinally evaluate the potential association of educational level with performance on verbal and nonverbal tasks in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). We evaluated patients with MCI, age >50 years, no medication intake, absent vascular risk factors, and no lesions on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each patient underwent a clinical assessment packet and a series of neuropsychological tests of the language and constructional praxis subtests of Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMGOG) and the Boston naming test (BNT), at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Educational levels were defined taking into account the total years of education, the school level, and diplomas. MCI patients with low education level showed a stepwise reduction in scores of naming objects (NO; P = 0.009), definition (DF; P = 0.012), language (LT; P = 0.021), constructional praxis (CD; P = 0.022), confrontation naming skills (BXB; P = 0.033), phonemic help (BFB; P = 0.041), and BNT (P = 0.002). Analysis of covariance, controlling for baseline scores, showed that education was associated with NO score (P = 0.002), DF score (P = 0.005), LT (P = 0.008), CD score (P = 0.008), BXB score (44.36 ± 1.84, P = 0.0001), BFB (P = 0.022), and BNT (P = 0.004). Our findings indicate that education appeared to affect verbal and nonverbal task performance in MCI patients. Despite the fact that higher educated patients are more acquainted with the tasks, slower deterioration in consecutive follow-up examinations could be explained by the cognitive reserve theory. The potential association of this protective effect with delayed onset of symptoms deserves further investigation.

Correlation of cognitive functions with emotional dysregulation in alcohol dependence: A preliminary study

“…[ 12 ] Higher level of education appears to be not only protective of cognitive function but also seems to be associated with slower deterioration over a longitudinal course in patients with severe cognitive impairment such as dementia, suggestive of underlying cognitive reserve phenomena that are operating. [ 38 39 ] Similarly, an inverse association of age with cognitive function in alcohol dependence has been reported, as observed in this study. [ 12 ] With aging, there is difficulty in the speed of information processing and transforming information to make decisions and difficulty in executive functioning that may be aggravated by alcohol dependence.…”

Impacts of cognitive impairment for different levels and causes of traumatic brain injury, and education status in TBI patients

“… 33 In addition, memory and language functions were found to be more resistant to decline in the high-education group. 17 Evidence indicated that higher education can attenuate the negative effect of TBI on cognitive outcomes. 34 Educated patient status proved an independent predictor of 1-year disability-free recovery even after traumatic brain injury was adjusted for other prognostic factors.…”

“…While higher educated patients may be more acquainted with the tasks, slower deterioration in consecutive follow-up examinations could be explained by the cognitive reserve theory. 17 …”

Cognitive Reserve Hypothesis in Frontotemporal Dementia: Evidence from a Brain SPECT Study in a Series of Greek Frontotemporal Dementia Patients

“…The existing relevant data in Greece stems only from retrospective FTD [18] or early dementia patient series [19], an outdated AD prevalence study [20], and a prospective study on the effects of education in cognitive decline among MCI subjects [21]. This study is also one of the largest in the relevant international literature, including both bvFTD and PPA patients.…”