title: Education, occupation, leisure activities, and brain reserve: a population-based study.
abstract: The influence of education, occupation, and leisure activities on the passive and active components of reserve capacity remains unclear. We used the voxel-based morphometry (VBM) technique in a population-based sample of 331 nondemented people in order to investigate the relationship between these factors and the cerebral volume (a marker of brain reserve). The results showed a positive and significant association between education, occupation, and leisure activities and the cognitive performances on Isaac's set test. Among these factors, only education was significantly associated with a cerebral volume including gray and white matter (p = 0.01). In voxel-based morphometry analyses, the difference in gray matter volume was located in the temporoparietal lobes and in the orbitofrontal lobes bilaterally (a p-value corrected <0.05 by false discovery rate [FDR]). Although smaller, the education-related difference in white matter volume appeared in areas connected to the education-related difference in gray matter volume. Education, occupation attainment, and leisure activities were found to contribute differently to reserve capacity. Education could play a role in the constitution of cerebral reserve capacity.
authors.affiliation: CMRR d'Aquitaine, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Foubert-Samier
authors.forename: Gwenaelle
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Catheline
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amieva
authors.forename: Bixente
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dilharreguy
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Helmer
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Allard
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dartigues
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D058245:Cognitive Reserve / Q000502:physiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D009929:Organ Size