Research
A 1972 school law had an unexpected effect on dementia 50 years later
PsyPost · By Eric W. Dolan ·
The Brief
- A 1972 British law raised the minimum school-leaving age, and the study uses it as a natural experiment.
- Staying in school an extra year in adolescence is linked to a lower likelihood of dementia decades later.
- The association holds even among people with a strong inherited predisposition to dementia.
Why it matters
The study uses a policy change as a natural experiment, suggesting education in adolescence may have lasting effects on dementia risk, a question relevant to public health and cognitive research.
Who’s affected
- Researchers studying dementia risk and education
- Policymakers considering school-leaving age
- #dementia
- #education
- #genetics
- #public health
- #natural experiment
Staying in school for an extra year during adolescence appears to lower a person’s likelihood of developing dementia decades later, even among individuals who carry a strong inherited predisposition to the condition. Taking advantage of a 1972 British law that raised the minimum…
Timeline
British law raising the minimum school-leaving age takes effect
PsyPost reports on the study's findings
PsyPost – Psychology News
A 1972 school law had an unexpected effect on dementia 50 years later