Sunday 20 February 2011

Learning a second language can delay the onset of dementia


The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has carried out research which suggests that the onset of dementia is delayed for up to five years in bilingual speakers. According to linguist Dr Amy Weinberg: “Speaking more than one language protects the brain against cognitive decline and makes a person better at multi-tasking.”

The study appears to have been based on 211 Alzheimer’s patients which is a rather small sample size. It is not clear what, if any, conclusions can be drawn from this.

You can read more details here or download a short podcast here. Or watch the movie below!