Highlights:
- New research shows that people who engage in lifelong learning such as reading, writing and learning languages have a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and slower cognitive decline.
- The study does not prove that lifelong learning decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s; it only shows an association.
- The study looked at 1,939 adults, examining cognitive enrichment including access to atlases and newspapers as children and having library cards in middle age.
- People in the top 10% of lifetime cognitive enrichment had a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and a 36% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment compared to those in the bottom 10%.
- Higher lifelong enrichment was associated with delays in dementia onset by up to five years, and mild cognitive impairment by up to seven years.
- Researchers say expanding access to enriching environments, resources and activities may help keep the brain healthier as we age.
MINNEAPOLIS — Engaging in a variety of intellectually stimulating activities throughout life, such as reading, writing and learning a language, is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and slower cognitive decline, according to a new study published on February 11, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that lifelong learning decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease; it only shows an association.
The study found that people with the highest amount of lifelong learning developed Alzheimer’s disease five years later and developed mild cognitive impairment seven years later than those with the lowest amount of lifelong learning.
“Our study looked at cognitive enrichment from childhood to later life, focusing on activities and resources that stimulate the mind,” said study author Andrea Zammit, PhD, of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. “Our findings suggest that cognitive health in later life is strongly influenced by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments.”
The study involved 1,939 people with an average age of 80 who did not have dementia at the start of the study. They were followed for an average of eight years.
Participants completed surveys about cognitive activities and learning resources during three stages. Early enrichment, before age 18, included the frequency of being read to and reading books, access to newspapers and atlases in the home, and learning a foreign language for more than five years. Middle age enrichment included income level at age 40, household resources like magazine subscriptions, dictionaries and library cards and the frequency of activities like visiting a museum or library. Later life enrichment, starting at average age of 80, included the frequency of reading, writing and playing games and total income from Social Security, retirement and other sources.
Researchers calculated enrichment scores for each participant.
During the study, 551 participants developed Alzheimer’s disease and 719 participants developed mild cognitive impairment.
Researchers compared participants with the highest level of cognitive enrichment, the top 10%, with those with the lowest level of cognitive enrichment, the bottom 10%. Of those with the highest level of enrichment, 21% developed Alzheimer’s. Of those with the lowest level, 34% developed Alzheimer’s.
After adjusting for factors such as age, sex and education, researchers found that higher scores in lifetime enrichment were associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 36% lower risk of mild cognitive impairment.
They found that people with the highest lifetime enrichment developed Alzheimer’s disease at an average age of 94, compared to age 88 for those with the lowest level of enrichment — over a five-year delay.
For mild cognitive impairment, researchers found that people with the highest lifetime enrichment developed mild cognitive impairment at an average age of 85, compared to age 78 for those with the lowest level of enrichment — a seven-year delay.
Researchers also looked at a smaller group of participants who died during the study and had autopsies. They found those with higher lifetime enrichment had better memory and thinking skills and slower decline prior to death, even when researchers accounted for early brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s, like the buildup of proteins called amyloid and tau.
“Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that consistently engaging in a variety of mentally stimulating activities throughout life may make a difference in cognition,” said Zammit. “Public investments that expand access to enriching environments, like libraries and early education programs designed to spark a lifelong love of learning, may help reduce the incidence of dementia.”
A limitation of the study was that participants reported details about their early and midlife experiences later in life, so they may not have remembered everything accurately.
The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and Michael Urbut, former member of the Rush University Board of Governors.
Discover more about dementia at Brain & Life®, from the American Academy of Neurology. This resource offers a website, podcast, and books that connect patients, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health with the most trusted information, straight from the world’s leading experts in brain health. Follow Brain & Life® on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
The American Academy of Neurology is the leading voice in brain health. As the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals with more than 40,000 members, the AAN provides access to the latest news, science and research affecting neurology for patients, caregivers, physicians and professionals alike. The AAN’s mission is to enhance member career fulfillment and promote brain health for all. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, care and treatment of brain, spinal cord and nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, concussion, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, headache and migraine.
Explore the latest in neurological disease and brain health, from the minds at the AAN at AAN.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. |
MINNEAPOLIS — Having a traumatic brain injury, no matter how serious, is associated with a greater likelihood of qualifying for work disability up to five years later, according to a study published February 11, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove cause and effect, it only shows an association.
“Traumatic brain injury can result in disability that may make it difficult to return to work, yet being employed is essential for maintaining quality of life and financial stability,” said study author Andrea Klang, MD, of Uppsala University in Sweden. “While most traumatic brain injuries are mild, recovery can still be incomplete. For severe brain injuries, there can be lasting symptoms. Our study found no matter the severity, traumatic brain injury was associated with a higher likelihood of a person qualifying for work disability.”
For the study, researchers used Swedish national registries to identify nearly 100,000 people with traumatic brain injury who were treated in a hospital or in a specialized outpatient care visit and nearly one million people without brain injury. Participants had an average age of 39.
Researchers divided those with traumatic brain injury into three groups. People in the highest group, 1% of participants, had the most severe brain injuries, requiring surgery. Those in the middle group, 6% of participants, had been hospitalized three or more days but with no surgery. Those in the lowest group, 93%, were hospitalized no more than two days or not at all.
Participants were followed for five years. Researchers determined which participants had medically certified work disability, verified by a physician as a reduction in work capacity due to illness or injury. They measured the likelihood of people moving to and from work disability, which was defined as having a sick leave longer than 14 days or receiving disability benefits.
Compared to those without brain injuries, all three groups of people with traumatic brain injuries had a higher likelihood of having work disability during the five years of follow-up, with an average duration of 1,201 days on disability for people in the highest group and 526 days for people in the lowest group.
Over five years, 72% of the people in the highest injury group, 67% of those in the middle group and 45% of those in the lowest group had at least one period of work disability compared to 26% in the non-injury group.
After adjusting for factors just as age, education and occupation, researchers found that one month after injury people in the highest injury group had a 43% chance of work disability, people in the middle group had a 29% chance and those in the lowest group had a 6% chance, compared to a 0.5% chance for people without brain injuries.
After similar adjustments, researchers found that five years after injury people in the highest group had a 13% chance of work disability, the middle group had an 11% chance and the lowest group a 7% chance, compared to a 4% chance for people without brain injuries.
Researchers also found that for all groups, older age was associated with a higher likelihood of work disability. In the middle and lowest groups, female sex as well as psychiatric and substance use disorders were also associated with a higher risk.
“Our findings emphasize a need to offer long-term, individualized rehabilitation to all people with traumatic brain injuries to address any impairment,” said Klang.
A limitation of the study was that it looked only at people in Sweden and results may not be the same for people in other countries.
The study was supported by the Swedish state under the Agreement on Physician Education and Research, a national partnership between the government and regions supporting clinical research and medical education.
Discover more about traumatic brain injury at Brain & Life®, from the American Academy of Neurology. This resource offers a website, podcast, and books that connect patients, caregivers and anyone interested in brain health with the most trusted information, straight from the world’s leading experts in brain health. Follow Brain & Life® on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
The American Academy of Neurology is the leading voice in brain health. As the world’s largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals with more than 40,000 members, the AAN provides access to the latest news, science and research affecting neurology for patients, caregivers, physicians and professionals alike. The AAN’s mission is to enhance member career fulfillment and promote brain health for all. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, care and treatment of brain, spinal cord and nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, concussion, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, headache and migraine.
Explore the latest in neurological disease and brain health, from the minds at the AAN at AAN.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. |
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