Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

4-1-2025

Journal

Alzheimer's & Dementia Journal

DOI

10.1002/alz.70148

PMID

40207408

PMCID

PMC11982914

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

4-10-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Introduction: To investigate the associations of education level, marital status, and physical activity with dementia risk and brain MRI markers.

Methods: Data from six community-based samples from the Cross-Cohort Collaboration Consortium were analyzed. Self-reported education level, marital status, and physical activity at age 60 to 75 years were harmonized. Subsamples of participants with brain MRI markers at time of exposure were selected. Associations with dementia risk and cross-sectional MRI markers were meta-analyzed.

Results: Higher education level was associated with lower dementia risk (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.65, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.59; 0.72 vs low level) but not significantly with brain MRI markers. Compared with being unmarried, being married was only associated with higher total brain and hippocampal volumes. Being physically active was associated with lower dementia risk (HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.52; 1.04), as well as larger total brain volume and smaller white matter hyperintensity volume.

Discussion: This study provides further evidence regarding the contribution of education level and physical activity to dementia resilience.

Highlights: Education level, marital status, and physical activity are thought to contribute to resilience against ADRD. We used random-effects meta-analysis to summarize results from six community-based samples from the CCC. In this cross-cohort meta-analysis, higher education level and being physically active were associated with lower risk of dementia. In cross-sectional analyses, being married was associated with larger TBV and HV, while being physically active was associated with larger TBV and lower WMHV.

Keywords

Humans, Female, Male, Aged, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Brain, Middle Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Educational Status, Cohort Studies, Life Style, Dementia, Exercise, Marital Status, Risk Factors, cohorts, dementia, meta‐analysis, MRI, resilience

Published Open-Access

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