A Good Mix: Bilingualism and Alzheimer's Prevention

It could be that learning and speaking more than one language better prepares the brain to fight off degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's later on in life, a new study shows. The onset of relevant symptoms may be postponed by as much as five years, scientists now believe.

The research team that conducted the investigation is based at the Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute, in Canada. Experts here manged to discover additional evidence that bilingualism delayed mental decay in most people.

In the new investigation, scientists looked at the medical history and records of more than 200 persons that may have suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, and determined that those in the group who spoke more than one language were a lot less likely to experience onset of symptoms early in life.

The correlation held constant as the years passed, the team details in the November 9 issue of the esteemed scientific journal Neurology. The research group included numerous famous scientists.

Among them were Rotman Research Institute cognitive researcher Dr. Fergus Craik, leading bilingualism research expert Dr. Ellen Bialystok of York University, and leading Canadian clinician Dr. Morris Freedman.

“We are not claiming that bilingualism in any way prevents Alzheimer’s or other dementias, but it may contribute to cognitive reserve in the brain which appears to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms for quite some time,” explains Dr. Craik, the lead investigator of the new research.

He also holds an appointment as the co-editor of The Oxford Handbook of Memory. The research determined that Alzheimer’s pathology is present in bilingual individuals as well, but with a twist.

But being able to speak two languages apparently equipped the individuals with the necessary traits to compensate for the mental degeneration that was brought on by this form of dementia. Symptoms the researchers took into account included memory loss, confusion, and difficulties with problem-solving and planning, Science Blog reports.

“These results are especially important for multicultural societies like ours in Canada where bilingualism is common. We need to understand how bilingualism changes cognitive ability, especially when there are clinical implications as in this case,” says Dr. Bialystok.

She is also a professor of psychology at York University, and an associate scientist at the Rotman Research Institute. Funding for the new research came from the Alzheimer Society of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.