Graduates who go on to work in mentally demanding jobs could be less likely to suffer the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s, scientists claim.

People showing signs of the neurological damage associated with Alzheimer’s appear to have less memory loss if they had a long education and a challenging career, the research suggests.

Dr Valentina Garibotto, of San Raffaele University, Milan, said: ‘The theory is that education and demanding jobs create a buffer against the effects of dementia on the brain, or a cognitive reserve.’

Her team performed mental tests and brain scans on 242 people with Alzheimer’s, 72 with mild cognitive impairment and 144 without memory problems.

Among people with equal levels of memory impairment, those who had been through long periods of education and taken on mentally demanding jobs had significantly more Alzheimer’srelated changes in their brains.

But their memories were no worse than others who had suffered less neurological damage.
‘Their brains are able to compensate for the damage,’ said Dr Garibotto.

‘There are two explanations. The brain could be made stronger through education and occupational challenges.

‘Or genetic factors that enabled people to achieve higher education and occupational achievement might determine the amount of brain reserve.’