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County‐level indicators of education quality and brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration and vascular injury among racially and ethnically diverse middle‐aged and older adults
Joseph A. Roscoe, Rachel A. Whitmer, Sirena Gutierrez, Chloe W. Eng, M. Maria Glymour, Charles S DeCarli, Lisa Laverne Barnes, Brandon E. Gavett et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2024-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Background Early‐life education quality has been associated with dementia risk and late‐life cognitive functioning. Results Higher teacher‐student ratio was associated with greater gray matter volume (β = 6.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 10.92) but was not associated hippocampal volume (β = ‐0.01, 95% CI: ‐0.14, 0.11), ventricular volume (β = ‐0.04, 95% CI: ‐0.13, 0.04), or white matter hyperintensity (β = ‐0.02, 95% CI: ‐0.31, 0.26) (Table 2). Higher percent attendance was associated with greater ventricular volume (β = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.18) but was not associated with gray matter volume (β = ‐3.12, 95% CI: ‐7.07, ‐0.82), hippocampal volume (β = ‐0.06, 95% CI: (‐0.17, 0.05), or white matter hyperintensity (β = ‐0.02, 95% CI: ‐0.26, 0.22). Term length was not associated with any marker of neurodegeneration or vascular brain injury. Results were similar when examining each education quality measure separately.
Key findings
- Abstract Background Early‐life education quality has been associated with dementia risk and late‐life cognitive functioning.
- Results Higher teacher‐student ratio was associated with greater gray matter volume (β = 6.25, 95% CI: 1.57, 10.92) but was not associated hippocampal volume (β = ‐0.01, 95% CI: ‐0.14, 0.11), ventricular volume (β = ‐0.04, 95% CI: ‐0.13, 0.04), or white matter hyperintensity (β = ‐0.02, 95% CI: ‐0.31, 0.26) (Table 2).
- Higher percent attendance was associated with greater ventricular volume (β = 0.10, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.18) but was not associated with gray matter volume (β = ‐3.12, 95% CI: ‐7.07, ‐0.82), hippocampal volume (β = ‐0.06, 95% CI: (‐0.17, 0.05), or white matter hyperintensity (β = ‐0.02, 95% CI: ‐0.26, 0.22).
- Term length was not associated with any marker of neurodegeneration or vascular brain injury.
- Results were similar when examining each education quality measure separately.
Why it matters
This study examined county-level measures of education quality and brain imaging markers in middle-aged and older adults, finding some links with gray matter and ventricular volume but not with other markers. It does not test any treatment, cure or prevention, and the findings are associations that cannot show cause and effect.
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Study details
- Participants450
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 41/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported 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 | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 450 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Paola Gilsanz: h-index 36 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Stanford University: institution h-index 2,684 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 41 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Roscoe, J. A., Whitmer, R. A., Gutierrez, S., Eng, C. W., Glymour, M. M., DeCarli, C. S., et al. (2024). County‐level indicators of education quality and brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration and vascular injury among racially and ethnically diverse middle‐aged and older adults. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.093321
Vancouver
Roscoe JA, Whitmer RA, Gutierrez S, Eng CW, Glymour MM, DeCarli CS, et al. County‐level indicators of education quality and brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration and vascular injury among racially and ethnically diverse middle‐aged and older adults. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2024. doi:10.1002/alz.093321.
BibTeX
@article{roscoe2024-c8841b99,
author = {Roscoe, Joseph A. and Whitmer, Rachel A. and Gutierrez, Sirena and Eng, Chloe W. and Glymour, M. Maria and DeCarli, Charles S and Barnes, Lisa Laverne and Gavett, Brandon E. and others},
title = {{County‐level indicators of education quality and brain imaging markers of neurodegeneration and vascular injury among racially and ethnically diverse middle‐aged and older adults}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1002/alz.093321},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.093321}
}
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