Characterizing the Molecular Architecture of Cortical Regions Associated with High Educational Attainment in Older Individuals

Neuroimaging investigations have revealed interindividual variations in anatomy, metabolism, activity, and connectivity of specific cortical association areas through which years of education (YoE), as a common proxy of cognitive reserve, may operate in the face of age- or pathology-associated brain changes. However, the associated molecular properties of YoE-related brain regions and the biological pathways involved remain poorly understood. In the present study we first identified brain areas that showed an association between cortical thickness and YoE among 122 cognitively healthy older human individuals (87 female). We subsequently characterized molecular properties of these regions by…