title: Education is associated with higher later life IQ scores, but not with faster cognitive processing speed.
abstract: Recent reports suggest a causal relationship between education and IQ, which has implications for cognitive development and aging-education may improve cognitive reserve. In two longitudinal cohorts, we tested the association between education and lifetime cognitive change. We then tested whether education is linked to improved scores on processing-speed variables such as reaction time, which are associated with both IQ and longevity. Controlling for childhood IQ score, we found that education was positively associated with IQ at ages 79 (Sample 1) and 70 (Sample 2), and more strongly for participants with lower initial IQ scores. Education, however, showed no significant association with processing speed, measured at ages 83 and 70. Increased education may enhance important later life cognitive capacities, but does not appear to improve more fundamental aspects of cognitive processing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. stuartjritchie1@gmail.com
authors.forename: Stuart J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.forename: Geoff
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Der
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Starr
authors.forename: Ian J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Deary
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D058245:Cognitive Reserve / Q000502:physiology; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology