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University education

University education has been studied in 3 papers since 2021: 3 observational studies in people. The newest paper, Sep 24, 2025: “Nationwide assessment of fall risk and protective factors among older adults in Saudi Arabia”.

Intervention

3 papers study it3 findingsUpdated

See all 3

“Participants in the university education group (n = 383) improved z = .02 SD (.01, .03) per year of the study compared to controls (P = .001; averaged across a battery of cognitive tests).”
Studying at university in later life slows cognitive decline: A long-term prospective studyAlzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)2021doi:10.1002/trc2.12207

None of its findings points the other way.

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

Labs are independent when their papers share no last author and no institution.

  • 3 independent labs in 4 countries
  • Funders: Deanship of Scientific Research, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University and 5 more
  • Humans3

What did studies of University education find?

2

Studies of University education measured 2 outcomes; the most studied are fall risk (1 study) and cognitive function (1).

Fall risk

downin humans1OR 0.39

1 study

  1. University education is linked with lower fall risk in humans (older adults in Saudi Arabia) (OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.22-0.68)).

    “Protective factors included university education (OR=0.39; 95% CI: 0.22-0.68; p = 0.001)”

    Humansolder adults in Saudi Arabian = 473

    Nationwide assessment of fall risk and protective factors among older adults in Saudi Arabia

    PloS one

Cognitive function

upin humans1

1 study

  1. University education improves cognitive function in humans (z = .02 SD (.01, .03) per year, P = .001).

    “Participants in the university education group (n = 383) improved z = .02 SD (.01, .03) per year of the study compared to controls (P = .001; averaged across a battery of cognitive tests).”

    Human trial7 years69% femalesn = 485

    Studying at university in later life slows cognitive decline: A long-term prospective study

    Alzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)

What is University education linked with?

1

Studies link University education with 1 measure, most often declining mental health (1 study).

Declining mental health

downin humans1OR 0.79

1 study

  1. University education is linked with a lower risk of declining mental health in humans (controlled for sex and parental socioeconomic status) (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.85-0.94).

    “university education was linked to a lower risk of declining mental health controlled for sex and parental socioeconomic status odds ratio [OR] 0·79, 95% CI 0·85-0·94”

    Humanscontrolled for sex and parental socioeconomic statusn = 8,581

    Social determinants of mental health trajectories during midlife: a prospective British birth cohort study

    Lancet (London, England)

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