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A lifespan perspective on cognitive reserve and risk for dementia
William S. Kremen, Malin Ericsson, Margaret Gatz, Ida Karlsson, Marianne Nygaard, Nancy L. Pedersen, Matthew S. Panizzon. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2025-06-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Higher GCA was associated with lower dementia risk (hazard ratio = 0.865, 95% confidence interval = 0.756 to 0.990). After accounting for GCA, no other measure contributed significantly to dementia risk. Putative reserve effects of education or occupational complexity likely reflect largely downstream effects of prior GCA. From a lifespan perspective on reducing dementia risk, the results may suggest favoring interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive development during childhood when there is substantial brain development as opposed to later-life cognitive training. HIGHLIGHTS: Education and GCA serve as indices of cognitive reserve. Education is a modifiable risk factor that is associated with dementia risk. The effect of higher education on reduced dementia risk is not directly causal. Education is largely a downstream effect of prior level of GCA. Increasing GCA during childhood may be more effective than later cognitive training.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Kremen, W. S., Ericsson, M., Gatz, M., Karlsson, I., Nygaard, M., Pedersen, N. L., et al. (2025). A lifespan perspective on cognitive reserve and risk for dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70176
Vancouver
Kremen WS, Ericsson M, Gatz M, Karlsson I, Nygaard M, Pedersen NL, et al. A lifespan perspective on cognitive reserve and risk for dementia. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2025. doi:10.1002/alz.70176. PMID: 40465699.
BibTeX
@article{kremen2025-40465699,
author = {Kremen, William S. and Ericsson, Malin and Gatz, Margaret and Karlsson, Ida and Nygaard, Marianne and Pedersen, Nancy L. and Panizzon, Matthew S.},
title = {{A lifespan perspective on cognitive reserve and risk for dementia}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/alz.70176},
pmid = {40465699},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.70176}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Higher GCA was associated with lower dementia risk (hazard ratio = 0.865, 95% confidence interval = 0.756 to 0.990).
- After accounting for GCA, no other measure contributed significantly to dementia risk.
- Putative reserve effects of education or occupational complexity likely reflect largely downstream effects of prior GCA.
- From a lifespan perspective on reducing dementia risk, the results may suggest favoring interventions aimed at enhancing cognitive development during childhood when there is substantial brain development as opposed to later-life cognitive training.
- HIGHLIGHTS: Education and GCA serve as indices of cognitive reserve.
Why it matters
This study found that higher general cognitive ability was linked to lower dementia risk, and that education and occupational complexity did not add significantly once that was accounted for. The authors suggest that efforts to boost cognitive development in childhood may be more useful for reducing dementia risk than later-life cognitive training.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 18 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 6.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 18 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Matthew S. Panizzon: h-index 52 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California San Diego: institution h-index 1,852 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40465699) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
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