More Education Means A Lesser Chance of Getting Alzheimer's, Dementia

Carol Bradley Bursack is Answering questions Caregiver Author, blogger and eldercare columnist For over twenty years author, columnist and speaker Carol Bradley... Send Message Subscribe: Carol Bradley Bursack

Monday, October 01, 2007
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Who'd have thought it? Parents now have new ammunition to help them convince kids to further their educations. According to a Finnish study, published in the October 2, 2007 issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, "people who don't finish...

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IQ
Leah
Monday, October 01, 2007 at 04:36 PM

Hi, Carol! Enjoyed your article! The psychologist told me it was a good thing I had started out with a 138 IQ because I had lost almost 30 points! Being among "the normal" was more devastating at first than being told I had dementia! Guess your article is right, and that's why I am functioning at such a high level. Thanks for the good info. I hope schools take up the idea and promote it to the parents!
Leah

re: IQ
Carol Bradley Bursack
Monday, October 01, 2007 at 04:49 PM

I just read a good book on memory and dementia, and that same point is made. Starting out high keeps you operating at a much higher level, even if the disease is "worse." Good thing you are smart!

You have got to be kidding!
Anonymous
Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 09:55 AM

First off, why in the world would any parent want to frighten their child with this kind of news? In other words, if you don't finish high school you are going to wind up just like Grandma who is bedridden, cannot speak, cannot eat, etc.? Oh PLEASE! Secondly, my mother (currently in Stage 6 of this disease) was a master degree'd registered nurse. Her sister and two brothers who all passed away as a result of Alzheimer's Disease? -- One was a college degree'd business man, one was a college degree'd owner of a large, very successful construction/private contracting company, and my aunt was a college degree'd small business owner. Many of the Alzheimer's caregivers that I know are caring for parents who were, let's see .... a physician, a lawyer, an accountant .... need I go on?

re: You have got to be kidding!
Carol Bradley Bursack
Wednesday, October 03, 2007 at 02:46 PM

I totally agree with your comment on kids - the line about kids was meant to be tongue-in-cheek. I mention, in my response to the study, that many very educated people have the disease. The fabulous book, Alzheimer's from the Inside Out, was written by a Ph.D.

This study is one of many, and we at Our Alzheimer's like to pull out the studies and make them more public. They are just things to think about.

Educated people show less Alzheimer's, in general (according to this study), than uneducated people. But, sadly, Alzhiemer's strikes many people for no known reason.

Scientists are doing these studies to try to find patterns. Apparently, this is one pattern that is emerging. Rather like the hormone studies, I'm sure the studies will continue to contradict each other.

I'm sad that you have seen so much Alzheimer's disease in people you love. Any of us could be hit. If you read Leah's blog (she has another kind of dementia) you will be reading the work of an extremely intellegent, educated person who has dementia. She is inspiring.

Thanks for writing. Please keep reading. You'll find many opinions and much help on this site. You won't agree with it all. That is healthy.

Best,
Carol