Summary
EDUCATION AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN LATER LIFE: THE NATION’S HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1972 - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT EDUCATION IS AMONG THE MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINANTS OF LATER-LIFE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND BIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF AD/ADRD RISK. HOWEVER, WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT HOW, WHY, OR FOR WHOM EDUCATION MATTERS FOR THESE COGNITIVE OUTCOMES. THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO DESIGN EFFECTIVE EARLY LIFE PREVENTATIVE INTERVENTIONS. TO KNOW HOW AND WHY EDUCATION MATTERS FOR LATER-LIFE COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND BIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF AD/ADRD RISK, WE NEED HIGH QUALITY PROSPECTIVE STUDIES THAT FOLLOW DIVERSE YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH SCHOOLS AND ACROSS ADULTHOOD; THAT MEASURE KEY AND MODIFIABLE EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND OUTCOMES; THAT OBSERVE MIDLIFE SOCIOECONOMIC ATTAINMENTS; AND THAT ASSESS COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND BIOLOGICAL MARKERS OF AD/ADRD RISK IN LATE LIFE. TO DATE, NO SUCH STUDIES EXIST. THIS PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER AN ESTABLISHED AND INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF NEUROLOGISTS,
