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Education, occupation and retirement age effects on the age of onset of Alzheimer's disease
Author(s) -
Lupton Michelle K,
Stahl Daniel,
Archer Nicola,
Foy Catherine,
Poppe Michaela,
Lovestone Simon,
Hollingworth Paul,
Williams Julie,
Owen Micheal J,
Dowzell Kimberley,
Abraham Richard,
Sims Rebecca,
Brayne Carol,
Rubinsztein David,
Gill Michael,
Lawlor Brian,
Lynch Aoibhinn,
Powell John F
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.2294
Subject(s) - gerontology , alzheimer's disease , disease , degenerative disease , age of onset , geriatrics , medicine , psychology , psychiatry
Objective To determine the effects of early life education, mid life employment and later life retirement age on the age of onset (AOO) of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods Multiple regression analyses were carried out using data for 1320 probable AD cases, of which 382 were males with employment and retirement age data, using informant based information on education and employment. Results No relation was found between years of education, best qualification obtained, or employment variables in males and the AOO of AD. A significant effect of later retirement age in delaying the AOO of AD was seen in males. Conclusions In this study no effect of education or employment was seen, although this may be due to limited variance in the study population. The significant effect of retirement age may have several explanations, the most interesting of which would be the suggestion that active employment later in life allows an individual to prolong their cognitive assets above the threshold for dementia. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.