A new study conducted by researchers from the Chobanian & Avedisian Faculty of Boston University (United States) He has discovered that people with more years of educational training lost their memory and cognitive abilities more quickly after being diagnosed with disease of Alzheimer’s (EA), compared to those that had less training.
The cognitive reserve (RC) is The ability of the brain To maintain the cognitive function Despite age -related brain changes, damage or disease. It reflects a person’s ability to deal with these changes using pre -existing cognitive strategies or developing compensatory mechanisms.
The RC hypothesis presupposes greater tolerance to pathology related to Alzheimer’s disease (EA) without functional deterioration in people with a High educational levelbut a faster deterioration after the appearance of the EA. However, the evidence that supports the second part of the hypothesis has been largely limited to studies carried out in the United States.
Now, these findings, published in the magazine Journal of Alzheimer’s DiseaseThey provide evidence that supports the CR theory using real data from older people in England, Germany and France. “Our study suggests that people with the highest educational level could be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s later, possibly because their brains hide the symptoms for longer, but then their deterioration is faster,”has pointed out the author of the study, Dr. Jinying Chen.
“This means that doctors and families must be especially attentive to early and subtle changes in memory, speech, thought, judgment and mood in adults with a high educational level, so that treatment and support can begin as soon as possible, explains the corresponding author,”Chen explained.
The researchers analyzed Data from more than 1,300 older adults diagnosed with EA in memory clinics of England, Germany and France (as part of the European Geras study). A participants were monitored during a period of between 18 months and three years, measuring their cognitive performance through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)a brief test that is usually used to detect cognitive deterioration and monitor its evolution over time.
Next, they used a statistical method to see how quickly the scores of the people’s MMSE descended after being diagnosed with EA, comparing people with more studies (12 years or more) with which they had less. They also took into account other factors that could affect cognitive deteriorationsuch as age, sex, other health conditions, the treatments for the EA, the country in which they lived and the time elapsed since they were diagnosed.
Alzheimer’s first signs can overlook
His findings suggest that common cognitive tests, such as MMSE, They can ignore the first signs of Alzheimer’s in people with a high educational level. Although more detailed neuropsychological tests are more sensitive, they may take hours to complete, they are faces and require qualified professionals to administer and interpret them.
Researchers believe that, in the future, Self -administered digital testsespecially those that use mobile devices or Wearable With automated score, they could offer a faster, affordable and scalable way to detect early changes In thought and Memory.
“We hope that our findings will lead to better ways to detect Alzheimer’s disease at an early stage, especially in people who may not show obvious symptoms at the beginning. A earlier detection means that families can plan before and doctors can initiate treatments that can help slow the disease, “Chen ended.
