A new study, led by a researcher from Rutgers Health, shows that historical education policies have long-lasting effects on cognitive health and the risk of dementia later in life. The study, published in Epidemiology, looked at how state schooling mandates influenced educational attainment and cognitive performance among adults decades later.
The research highlights that education is a key factor in better memory, cognitive function, and overall life expectancy, including a delayed onset of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Previous studies have shown that laws requiring schooling can affect cognition in older adults, but gaps in research persist, particularly regarding racial disparities. For instance, prior studies have combined the educational gains of white and Black older adults, despite the inconsistent enforcement of school mandates for Black children in the United States.
While working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, from 2022 to 2024, Kim and her team analyzed data from over 20,000 older Black and white adults. They found that the increased years of schooling linked to state education laws were associated with improved cognitive abilities later in life, including memory and verbal fluency—key factors in dementia risk.
The study also focused on the impact of education on Black Americans, who historically faced educational disparities due to segregation and discrimination. Kim emphasized that investment in education is crucial for health equity, as education provides similar benefits across racial groups, but the potential impact is likely greater for Black Americans, given their historical exposure to limited educational resources.
Kim’s findings support previous research suggesting that living in states with high-quality education during childhood is linked to a lower risk of dementia in later life.
The study also involved coauthors from Montclair State University, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the University of Maryland, Columbia University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Boston University.
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