Background:
Education could offer a protective effect on cognition in individuals with
Subjective Cognitive Decline (SCD), which is considered to be the early stage of Alzheimer’s Dis-
ease (AD). However, the effect of education on cognition in SCD individuals with SCD-plus fea-
tures is not clear.
Objective:
The aim of the study was to explore the effect of education on cognition in SCD individ-
uals with SCD-plus features.
Methods:
A total of 234 individuals with SCD were included from the Sino Longitudinal Study on
Cognitive Decline (SILCODE). Cognition was assessed across 4 domains (memory, executive, lan-
guage, and general cognitive functions). Multiple linear regression models were constructed to ex-
amine the effect of education on cognitive scores in individuals without worry (n=91) and with wor-
ry (n=143). Furthermore, we assessed differences in effects between APOE ε4 noncarriers and
APOE ε4 carriers in both groups.
Results :
Multiple linear regression analysis showed a positive effect of education on memory, ex-
ecutive, and language cognition in individuals without worry and all cognitive domains in individu-
als with worry. Furthermore, we found a positive effect of education on executive cognition in
APOE ε4 noncarriers without worry and language and general cognition in APOE ε4 carriers with-
out worry. Meanwhile, education had a positive effect on all cognitive domains in APOE ε4 noncar-
riers with worry and executive, language, and general cognition in APOE ε4 carriers with worry.
Conclusion:
This study indicates that education has the potential to delay or reduce cognitive dec-
line in SCD individuals with SCD-plus features.