The study leveraged the world's largest collection of brain imaging data, analyzing MRI scans taken 46 years after the schooling change.

The findings were published as a preregistered natural experiment in the journal eLife on November 5, 2024.

They further proposed that any structural changes induced by education could be too small to detect with current MRI technology.

Despite the known cognitive and health benefits associated with education, researchers found no significant impact on brain structure from an extra year of schooling.

A recent study involving nearly 30,000 individuals examined the long-term effects of additional years of education on brain structure.

These results challenge existing theories that position education as a significant protective factor against brain aging, highlighting the need for further investigation.

Professor Rogier Kievit suggested that any potential effects of education on brain structure might be microscopic and undetectable with current imaging techniques.

The researchers speculated that while education might initially alter brain size, these changes may not persist long-term, akin to temporary gains from physical training.

Ultimately, the study suggests that while education may lead to temporary increases in brain size, these changes are not permanent and are not reflected in structural MRI measurements over time.

This research utilized a natural experiment based on a 1972 UK law that raised the minimum school leaving age from 15 to 16, allowing researchers to compare the brain structures of affected and unaffected individuals.