Unexpected Findings on Education and Brain Structure
A study involving 30,000 individuals has allowed researchers at Radboud University Medical Center to gain insight into the long-term impact of an additional year of education on the brain. Surprisingly, they discovered that there is no significant change in brain structure and no protective effect of extended education against cognitive aging.
Education is widely recognized for its numerous advantages. Those who spend more years in school typically enjoy better health, enhanced intelligence, improved job opportunities, and increased earnings compared to their less-educated counterparts. However, the extent to which extended education can induce long-lasting changes in brain structure and offer protection against cognitive decline remained a mystery.
This subject is difficult to investigate due to the many factors that can influence brain structure, including upbringing, genetic factors, and environmental pollutants. Nevertheless, researchers Rogier Kievit (leading the Lifespan Cognitive Dynamics lab) and Nicholas Judd from Radboudumc and the Donders Institute found a unique opportunity to closely analyze the effects of an extra year of schooling.
Changes in Education Laws
In 1972, the UK passed a law requiring students to remain in school for an additional year, raising the mandatory schooling age from fifteen to sixteen while keeping other conditions the same. This created a valuable ‘natural experiment’, which divided individuals into those affected by the law and those who were not. The researchers had access to data from around 30,000 people who were in school during that time, along with MRI scans taken much later, 46 years after the fact. This dataset represents the largest collection of brain imaging data globally.
The researchers analyzed the MRI scans for changes in various brain regions but found no significant differences between those who attended an extra year of school and those who did not. Judd expressed surprise, stating, ‘We know that education is beneficial and anticipated that it would help combat cognitive aging. Aging is evident in all our MRI measurements, such as reductions in total volume, surface area, cortical thickness, and compromised water diffusion in the brain. Despite this, the additional year of education seemed to have no influence.’
Exploring Brain Structure Further
It’s possible that the brain appeared different immediately after the additional year, but those changes were not evaluated. ‘Education could temporarily increase brain volume, which may revert afterward. Ultimately, it must fit inside the skull,’ says Kievit. ‘It’s akin to physical training: if you work out intensely at sixteen, you may see improvements in your muscles, but half a century later, those gains may fade away.’ Additionally, extra education may only trigger microscopic alterations in the brain undetectable by MRI.
Both this investigation and other smaller studies have revealed connections between education and cognitive benefits. For instance, people with more education usually demonstrate better cognitive skills, overall health, and job opportunities. However, these benefits do not translate into observable changes in brain structure on MRI scans. Kievit emphasizes: ‘Our research indicates a need for caution when attributing causation solely based on observed correlations. While we notice correlations between education and brain characteristics, there is no corresponding evidence in brain structure.’
