Foundations & Measurement
External framework or theory · Foundational · 2020
Cognitive reserve is not brain structure or brain maintenance
A consensus whitepaper distinguished cognitive reserve, brain reserve, and brain maintenance and set out separate definitions and research approaches for them.
Research basis
Consensus whitepaper and conceptual framework. Reserve and resilience researchers convened through the Alzheimer's Association.
What it supports
Cognitive reserve as a distinct construct used to explain variation in cognitive outcomes relative to brain changes.
Boundary
A direct measure of executive judgment, Psychological Capacity, or integrated Biological Capacity.
BOL relevance
Provides a neighboring construct for BOL's Cognitive Capacity and Reserve work while preserving construct boundaries.
Source class
Peer-reviewed research
Role in BOL
Foundational
Population context
Older or clinical population
Evidence basis
Conceptual or synthesized
Source record checked 26 July 2026.