Navigation Links
Canadian study shows bilingualism has protective effect in delaying onset of dementia by four years

onset of dementia?"

In this present study, researchers set out to answer that question by examining the diagnostic records of 184 patients who came to Baycrest's Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic between 2002 and 2005 with cognitive complaints. Of that group, 91 were monolingual and 93 were bilingual. The bilinguals included speakers of 25 different languages, the most prevalent being Polish, Yiddish, German, Romanian and Hungarian.

Researchers found that 132 patients met criteria for probable Alzheimer's; the remaining 52 were diagnosed with other dementias. Patient data included Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores (a measure of general cognitive functioning), years of education and occupation. The MMSE scores were equivalent for the monolingual and bilingual groups at their initial visit to the clinic, indicating comparable levels of impairment. The age of onset of cognitive impairment was determined by the interviewing neurologist at the first clinic visit who asked patients and their families or caregivers when symptoms were first noticed.

The researchers determined that the mean age of onset of dementia symptoms in the monolingual group was 71.4 years, while the bilingual group was 75.5 years. This difference remained even after considering the possible effect of cultural differences, immigration, formal education, employment and even gender as influencers in the results.

"There are no pharmacological interventions that are this dramatic," says Dr. Freedman, who is Head of the Division of Neurology, and Director of the Memory Clinic at Baycrest, referring to the four-year delay in onset of symptoms for bilingual patients.

"The data show a huge protective effect," adds co-investigator Dr. Craik, who cautioned that this is still a preliminary finding but nonetheless in line with a number of other recent findings about lifestyle effects on dementia.

The team is working on a follow-up study that will furt
'"/>

Source:Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care


Page: 1 2 3

Related biology news :

1. Canadian youth 4th highest in international obesity study
2. Ocean climate predicts elk population in Canadian Rockies
3. Industrial contaminants spread by seabirds in High Arctic, new Canadian study shows
4. Groundbreaking Canadian asthma study
5. Bioartificial kidney under study at MCG
6. W.M. Keck Foundation funds study of friendly microbes
7. Yellowstone microbes fueled by hydrogen, according to U. of Colorado study
8. Genome-wide mouse study yields link to human leukemia
9. Clam embryo study shows pollutant mixture adversely affects nerve cell development
10. New imaging method gives early indication if brain cancer therapy is effective, U-M study shows
11. Same mutation aided evolution in many fish species, Stanford study finds
Post Your Comments:
(Date:5/21/2008)..., With the price of a barrel of oil hovering aroun... pump in the near future, according to a new study...olicy. , "There is room for retail gasoline pri... Institute fellow in energy studies and one of the...sonal variability and other factors could affect p...
(Date:5/21/2008)..., HOBOKEN, N.J. -- On Thursday May 22, 2008, Dr. ...the Coastal Process Specialist for the NJMSC/NJ Se...of the Shore report on the condition state of NJ b...ism season. Speakers will include NJDEP Commission...Kuperus, Dr. Michael P. Weinstein, President of th...
(Date:5/21/2008)..., RICHLAND, Wash. -- The pipes that rise from oil..., waste fossil fuels and dump carbon dioxide into ...the structure of a catalytic material that can tur.... The insight lays the foundation for converting e...hemicals. , "There,s a big interest in doing som...
(Date:5/21/2008)..., This press release is available in German . ...rsity cost us in the long term" How much do nation...he trend" And what price will we have to pay if we...he Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity - proj...avan Sukhdev, who is head of Deutsche Bank,s Globa...
Breaking Biology News(10 mins):Baker Institute study finds continuing upward pressure on retail gasoline prices 2Halting methane squanderlust 2Halting methane squanderlust 3Biodiversity as a natural resource 2Six Finalists Announced for 2008 Insight Award for Customer Advocacy in Financial Services 14164 1UTSA receives 24822 000 from Kleberg Foundation to enhance scientific research 2479 1UTSA receives 24822 000 from Kleberg Foundation to enhance scientific research 2479 2New England Area Fertility Experts Issue Call for Ethnic Egg Donors 14160 1New England Area Fertility Experts Issue Call for Ethnic Egg Donors 14160 2Oncolys BioPharma and Tacere Therapeutics Sign Strategic Alliance and License Agreement to Develop and Commercialize RNAi Hepatitis C Drug 3908 1Oncolys BioPharma and Tacere Therapeutics Sign Strategic Alliance and License Agreement to Develop and Commercialize RNAi Hepatitis C Drug 3908 2Oncolys BioPharma and Tacere Therapeutics Sign Strategic Alliance and License Agreement to Develop and Commercialize RNAi Hepatitis C Drug 3908 3
...e Neanderthal genome, scientists suggest an early ...mmon ancestry, say the authors, but do not share m...tudy, published in this week,s issue of Science, a... Neanderthals and humans. , The study helps to exp...piens and Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis). It...
...o your origins after all. A study published today ...t fewer than 10% of African American mitochondrial...drial DNA from one single African ethnic group. Th...chondrial DNA to trace maternal ancestries, and se...mitochondrial DNA sequences to obtain information ...
... for humans, it,s healthy for honeybees: Queen hon...e drones produce more disease-resistant colonies t...ell study published in the Jan. 7 issue of the Pro...us promiscuity of queen honeybees has long perplex...tiple mates takes more time and energy and puts th...
...emitted into the atmosphere, the oceans have a pro... to take up this carbon dioxide might be impaired ...response to global warming, ESA has backed two pro...variables ?color and temperature. , The Medspirati...ures, and the GlobCOLOUR project, aimed at develop...
Other Biology News:Genetic study of Neanderthal DNA reveals early split between humans and Neanderthals 2Genetic study of Neanderthal DNA reveals early split between humans and Neanderthals 3Queen bee promiscuity boosts hive health 2Climate experts search for answers in the oceans 2Climate experts search for answers in the oceans 3
(Date:5/22/2008)...GAPORE, May 22 /- Edwards L...ader in the science of heart valves,today announc...g facility,in Changi North Crescent, Singapore. Th...d-leading Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT tissue hear...uarters for Edwards, Asia-Pacific,operations, one ...
(Date:5/22/2008)...GARY, May 22 / Oncolytics B...announced today that it has,successfully transferr...,batch size to SAFC Pharma(TM), a Division of Sigm... scale-up from 20 litres to 40 litres announced,by...cale should provide sufficient doses to support,fu...
(Date:5/22/2008)...AY, Calif., May 22 /- Digir...r of medical diagnostic imaging systems,and servic...enters, today,announced the signing of a letter of...l of Medicine in Baltimore, Md., Under terms of t... read,diagnostic images for primary care physician...
(Date:5/21/2008)...may look like ordinary washers and dryers to you, ...he future. , In the laundry room at the Univers...ments, the appliances operate on real-time. Reside...s are available, and can opt to receive an e-mail ...pany that maintains the machines monitors them via...
Breaking Biology Technology:Edwards Lifesciences Opens New Singapore Heart Valve Facility 2Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Transfers 40-Litre cGMP Manufacturing Process for REOLYSIN(R) 2Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Transfers 40-Litre cGMP Manufacturing Process for REOLYSIN(R) 3Digirad Corporation Signs Letter of Understanding With Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 2Digirad Corporation Signs Letter of Understanding With Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 3Digirad Corporation Signs Letter of Understanding With Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine 4Better business decisions with real-time data 2Better business decisions with real-time data 3
...t was suggested that we focus on expanding the hig...o create faster economic growth and raise our per ...pointed out that our basic industries are in relat..., high-growth engine that can pull our economic tr...ill create more high-knowledge jobs that pay highe...
... hit universities and colleges across the country,...th complaints documenting alleged copyright infrin...s. , ,Last February, Universal Studios sent severa...isconsin- Madison concerning 130 computers on camp...th content that belonged to the company. School o...
...gin three weeks of special articles, interviews an...logy Network (WTN). This series called, "FORWARD V...sion and debate that will help to illustrate some ... Wisconsin,s Health Science and Technology Recogni...E articles and commentaries on the current and fut...
...e agricultural and industrial revolutions. And to...oint for Wisconsins economy; the innovation revolu...nsin will also be a leader in the coming innovatio...roadband a national priority, and we at the state ...nd deployment and adoption a priority for the futu...
Other Biology Technology:We Need Techo-Savy Leaders - Dont just blame government and education for economic problems 2We Need Techo-Savy Leaders - Dont just blame government and education for economic problems 3We Need Techo-Savy Leaders - Dont just blame government and education for economic problems 4File Swapping: Download at your own Risk 2File Swapping: Download at your own Risk 3Why Wisconsin Lags Behind the U.S. and Minnesota 2Why Wisconsin Lags Behind the U.S. and Minnesota 3Why Wisconsin Lags Behind the U.S. and Minnesota 4Why Wisconsin Lags Behind the U.S. and Minnesota 5Broadband Deployment & Adoption in Wisconsin 2Broadband Deployment & Adoption in Wisconsin 3