Actively Speaking Two Languages Protects Against Cognitive Impairment
October 3rd, 2020Via: Universitat Oberta de Catalunya:
In a paper published in Neuropsychologia, the researchers conclude that speaking two languages on a regular basis – and having done so all one’s life – enhances cognitive reserve and delays the appearance of symptoms associated with cognitive decline and dementia.
“The prevalence of dementia in countries where more than one language is spoken is 50% lower than in those regions where the population uses only one language to communicate,” said researcher Marco Calabria, professor at the UOC Faculty of Health Sciences and member of the University’s Cognitive NeuroLab research group and the Speech Production and Bilingualism research group, at the UPF.
Previous work had already found that the lifelong use of two or more languages could be a key factor in increasing cognitive reserve and delaying the onset of dementia, as well as offering advantages for memory and executive functions.
