Why is the title so misleading? That isn't at all what the study measured. Just read the article 1) looked at a group of 80-year-olds for 8 years 2) checked their economic status throughout life using reading and leisure time (# of library and museum visits as a proxy) 3) Found that higher scores in lifetime enrichment were associated with a 38% lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 36% lower risk of MCI. They did…
Given that dementia can result from various pathological processes, I wonder what it is about dementia that leads you to conclude that these forms of cognitive stimulation cannot possibly reduce one’s risk. I agree that the title is misleading, though, in large part because it assumes causation, whereas association is about all one can say. At least both absolute and relative risk were mentioned in the write up; that’s rare to see.
The original paper is behind a firewall of course, so I cannot access it. Possibly they controlled for other measures of SES? I don’t know.