Affiliations: Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Section for Neurochemistry and Psychiatry, the Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Mölndal, Sweden
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: Sindre Rolstad c/o Anders Wallin, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Wallinsgatan 6, Plan 4B, 431 31 Mölndal, Sweden. Fax: +46 31 776 9055; E-mail: sindre.rolstad@neuro.gu.se.
Abstract: The concepts of brain and cognitive reserve stem from the observation that premorbid factors (e.g., education) result in variation in the response to brain pathology. Potential early influence of reserve on pathology, as assessed using the cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers total tau (t-tau) and amyloid-β42, and cognition was explored in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients who remained stable over a two-year period. A total of 102 patients with stable MCI grouped on the basis of educational level were compared with regard to biomarker concentrations and cognitive performance. Stable MCI patients with higher education had lower concentrations of t-tau as compared to those with lower education. Also, educational level predicted a significant proportion of the total variance in t-tau concentrations. Our results suggest that higher education may offer protection against tauopathy.
