title: Effects of education on aging-related cortical thinning among cognitively normal individuals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate the relationship between education and cortical thickness in cognitively normal individuals to determine whether education attenuated the association of advanced aging and cortical thinning.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,959 participants, in whom education levels were available, were included in the final analysis. Cortical thickness was measured on high-resolution MRIs using a surface-based method. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed for education level and cortical thickness, after controlling for possible confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High levels of education were correlated with increased mean cortical thickness throughout the entire cortex (p = 0.003). This association persisted after controlling for vascular risk factors. Statistical maps of cortical thickness showed that the high levels of education were correlated with increased cortical thickness in the bilateral premotor areas, anterior cingulate cortices, perisylvian areas, right superior parietal lobule, left lingual gyrus, and occipital pole. There were also interactive effects of age and education on the mean cortical thickness (p = 0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest the protective effect of education on cortical thinning in cognitively normal older individuals, regardless of vascular risk factors. This effect was found only in the older participants, suggesting that the protective effects of education on cortical thickness might be achieved by increased resistance to structural loss from aging rather than by simply providing a fixed advantage in the brain.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Jun Pyo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. sangwonseo@empal.com.
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Hee Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Byoung Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Jin-Ju
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Changsoo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Mira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Seun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeon
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Hee Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Jung-Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Sung Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Duk L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Na
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of Neurology (J.P.K., S.W.S., H.J.K., J.-H.K., D.L.N.) and Radiology (S.T.K.), and Health Promotion Center (H.Y.S., M.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Neuroscience Center (S.W.S., H.J.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Seoul; Department of Clinical Research Design and Evaluation (S.W.S., J.-M.L.), SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (B.S.Y.) and Preventive Medicine (C.K.), Yonsei University College of Medicine Seoul; Department of Neurology, Gangnam Severance Hospital (H.C.), Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Biomedical Engineering (J.-J.Y., S.J.), Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea; and Departments of Epidemiology and Medicine and Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research (E.G.), Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Eliseo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guallar
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009929:Organ Size