PET scans support ‘cognitive reserve’ hypothesis

Individuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new report. The so-called ‘cognitive reserve’ hypothesis holds that individuals with greater cognitive abilities are able to delay symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease despite underlying changes in the brain, according to background information in the article. Education is commonly used as a substitute measure of cognitive reserve. Against such a background, doctors studied 37 individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer type and 161 individuals without dementia between 2003 and 2008. {openx:269} Participants reported their education history…