Does high educational level protect against intellectual decline in older adults?: A 10-year longitudinal study

Abstract

This study examined the relation between educational level and intellectual change in Japanese older adults. Participants (age=65-79 years, n=593) comprised the first-wave participants of the National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA). They were followed for 10 years and were tested six times. Educational levels were divided into two groups (low-educated or high-educated), and intellectual changes for the 10 years were assessed using the Japanese Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised Short Forms (JWAIS-R-SF); subtests included Information, Similarities, Picture Completion, and Digit Symbol. General linear mixed-model analyses revealed that education had not affected 10-year changes of the Information, Similarities, and Picture Completion subtest scores. In contrast, education was significantly associated with a change in the Digit Symbol subtest score; individuals with higher levels of education showed greater decline than those with less education, although they had higher ability at every time point. These findings suggest that higher education does not protect against intellectual decline in late life, although it is associated with long-term individual differences in intelligence. © Japanese Psychological Association 2013.