More education linked to better cognitive functioning later in life

Higher levels of education are tied to later ages of peak cognitive functioning, according to new research published today in the journal PLoS One.

The study, led by UC Berkeley researchers, examined relationships between educational attainment, cognitive performance and learning in order to quantify the cumulative effect of attending school.

Its findings suggest that higher levels of education may help stave off age-related cognitive decline. In addition, the team found that education didn’t have a large impact on novel learning, or learning something new at various points in time.