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Park YJ, Choi JY, Lee KH, Seo SW, Moon SH. Risk Factors for Rapid Cognitive Decline in Amyloid-Negative Individuals Without Cognitive Impairment or With Early-Stage Cognitive Loss in Screening Tests. Clin Nucl Med 2024:00003072-990000000-01229. [PMID: 39086042 DOI: 10.1097/rlu.0000000000005384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although rapid cognitive decline (RCD) is an important unfavorable prognostic factor, not much is known about it, especially in amyloid-negative individuals. The purpose of this study was to investigate risk factors for RCD in amyloid-negative individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively enrolled 741 individuals who were either cognitively unimpaired or had early-stage cognitive ability loss and who underwent 18F-florbetaben (FBB) (n = 402) or 18F-flutemetamol (FMM) (n = 339) PET/CT. Based on visual and semiquantitative (SUV ratio [SUVR]-based) analysis, the following amyloid-negative groups were established: visual-negative FBB (n = 232), visual-negative FMM (n = 161), SUVR-negative FBB (n = 104), and SUVR-negative FMM (n = 101). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed for RCD using 5 SUVRs, 5 cortical thicknesses, and 5 neuropsychological domains and clinico-demographic factors. RESULTS In the amyloid-negative groups, a decline in language function was commonly identified as a significant risk factor for RCD (P = 0.0044 in the visual-negative FBB group, P = 0.0487 in the visual-negative FMM group, P = 0.0031 in the SUVR-negative FBB group, and P = 0.0030 in the SUVR-negative FMM group). In addition, declines in frontal/executive function, frontal SUVR, and parietal SUVR; a longer duration of education; and mild cognitive decline in the amyloid-negative groups were also significant risk factors for RCD. CONCLUSIONS Even in amyloid-negative individuals without cognitive impairment or with early-stage cognitive ability loss, those with decreased language and frontal/executive functions on neuropsychological testing are at risk of progression to RCD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joon Young Choi
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Han Lee
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Won Seo
- Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Hwan Moon
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Suchy-Dicey AM, Vo TT, Oziel K, Buchwald DS, Nelson LA, Verney SP, French BF. Psychometric reliability, validity, and generalizability of 3MSE scores among American Indian adults: the Strong Heart Study. J Int Neuropsychol Soc 2024; 30:454-463. [PMID: 38263740 DOI: 10.1017/s1355617723011438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MSE) is often used to screen for dementia, but little is known about psychometric validity in American Indians. METHODS We recruited 818 American Indians aged 65-95 for 3MSE examinations in 2010-2013; 403 returned for a repeat examination in 2017-2019. Analyses included standard psychometrics inferences for interpretation, generalizability, and extrapolation: factor analysis; internal consistency-reliability; test-retest score stability; multiple indicator multiple cause structural equation models. RESULTS This cohort was mean age 73, majority female, mean 12 years education, and majority bilingual. The 4-factor and 2nd-order models fit best, with subfactors for orientation and visuo-construction (OVC), language and executive functioning (LEF), psychomotor and working memory (PMWM), verbal and episodic memory (VEM). Factor structure was supported for both research and clinical interpretation, and factor loadings were moderate to high. Scores were generally consistent over mean 7 years. Younger participants performed better in overall scores, but not in individual factors. Males performed better on OVC and LEF, females better on PMWM. Those with more education performed better on LEF and worse on OVC; the converse was true for bilinguals. All differences were significant, but small. CONCLUSION These findings support use of 3MSE for individual interpretation in clinic and research among American Indians, with moderate consistency, stability, reliability over time. Observed extrapolations across age, sex, education, and bilingual groups suggest some important contextual differences may exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid M Suchy-Dicey
- Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Washington State University, Elson S Floyd College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Thao T Vo
- Washington State University, College of Education, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Kyra Oziel
- Washington State University, Elson S Floyd College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dedra S Buchwald
- Washington State University, Elson S Floyd College of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lonnie A Nelson
- Washington State University, College of Nursing, Spokane, WA, USA
| | | | - Brian F French
- Washington State University, College of Education, Pullman, WA, USA
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Yow W, Sou KL, Wong AC. A Novel Dual-Language Touch-Screen Intervention to Slow Down Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Innov Aging 2024; 8:igae052. [PMID: 38974776 PMCID: PMC11227001 DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igae052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and Objectives Bilingualism has been suggested to protect older adults from cognitive aging and delay the onset of dementia. However, no studies have systematically explored bilingual usage as a tool to mitigate age-related cognitive decline. We developed the Dual-Language Intervention in Semantic memory-Computerized (DISC), a novel cognitive training program with three training tasks (object categorization, verbal fluency, and utility of things) designed specifically for older adults that featured two modes: single-language (SL) exposure mode and dual-language (DL) exposure mode. Research Design and Methods The final sample included 50 cognitively healthy (CH; 33 female, M age = 72.93 years, range = 53.08-87.43 years) and 48 cognitively impaired (CI; 35 female, M age = 80.93 years, range = 62.31-96.67 years) older adults, randomly assigned them into one of three groups: SL group, DL group, and control group (no training). Participants in SL and DL groups used DISC in either SL mode (i.e., training instructions were spoken in only one language throughout the entire training) or DL mode (i.e., training instructions alternated between two languages), respectively, for 24 sessions. Participants in the control group were asked to continue with their normal daily activities (e.g., playing bingo and reading newspapers). Results For CH older adults, we found significant improvements in the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) Trial 5 score and the Clock Drawing Test score in the DL group but not in the SL and control groups posttraining compared with pretraining. For CI older adults, there was a delayed improvement in the RAVLT Trial 1, six months later. Discussion and Implications Our findings provided novel evidence that implementing DL cognitive training benefits CH older adult's late verbal learning and visuospatial construction skills, and a delayed improvement in CI older adults' early verbal learning abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Quin Yow
- Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ka Lon Sou
- Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alina Clarise Wong
- Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
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Sharma I, Marwale AV, Sidana R, Gupta ID. Lifestyle modification for mental health and well-being. Indian J Psychiatry 2024; 66:219-234. [PMID: 39100126 PMCID: PMC11293293 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_39_24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Unhealthy life-style leads to mental ill-health and poor quality of life and is the major determinant of a wide range of lifestyle disorders. The aim was to 1) review the work relating to life style modification for promoting mental health and 2) Present recommendations on life-style modification for mental health and wellbeing. Material and Methods The work on life style changes for promotion of mental health was retrieved from the scientific literature and critically reviewed. Conclusions Recommendations on 'Life-style modification for mental health and wellbeing' are presented. 20 specific components of healthy life style included are: Routine, time management, prayer, basic activities, reading newspaper, study/work, exercise, recreation/ relaxation/ talent promotion, education, cognitive activities, social networking, guidelines for behavior, peer group, social group, marriage/family, life skills, physical health, health education, mobile use, and digital media. The lifestyle modification package is comprehensive and geared to promote mental health and well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indira Sharma
- Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry (NAMS) and Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Arun V. Marwale
- Department of Psychiatry, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
| | - Roop Sidana
- Tekchand Sidana Memorial Mental Psychiatric Hospital and De-Addiction Centre, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ishwar D. Gupta
- Department of Psychiatry, Sawai Man Singh Medical College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
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Morrow SA, Balusha AAK, Rosehart H, Casserly C, Racosta JM. Does multilingualism act as a protective factor (cognitive reserve) against cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis?: A retrospective cohort study. Mult Scler Relat Disord 2023; 80:105060. [PMID: 37866025 DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.105060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting half of persons with MS (PwMS). Cognitive reserve has been associated with delaying the onset and slowing the progression of CI in PwMS. Multilingualism has been demonstrated to be a protective factor against CI in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but has never been studied in PwMS. OBJECTIVE To explore if multilingualism is a protective factor against CI in PwMS. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of PwMS aged 18-59, with a confirmed diagnosis of relapsing MS, fluent in English, who completed the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS) at the London (ON) MS Clinic. Any PwMS with a history of dementia or developmental delay, daily marijuana use, a major psychiatric disorder, or less than grade 9 education was excluded. We focused on the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test (BVMTR), immediate recall (-IR) and delayed recall (-DR) as it would be the least affected by language, as well as the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), as information processing speed is the most commonly affected domain in PwMS. One-way ANOVA was used to compare raw scores on the BVMTR and SDMT between groups (uni- vs. multillingual), while chi-square was used to compare impairment on BVMTR and SDMT between groups. RESULTS The cohort consisted of 678 subjects. The mean age was 39.7 (± 9.6) years with 501 (73.9 %) females (sex at birth), the mean duration of disease of 5.9 (± 6.9) years, and mean years of education was 13.9 (±2.2). The majority of subjects (563, 83 %) were unilingual and (115, 17 %) were multilingual; 102 subjects were bilingual and 13 subjects fluent in ≥ three languages. English was the first language was in most of subjects (614, 90.6 %). There was no significant difference on the BVMTR-IR scores (p = 0.189) or BVMTR-DR (p = 0.096) between groups. Similarly, there was no difference in the number of subjects impaired on the BVMTR-IR (X2 (1, N = 678) = 3.167, p = 0.057) or BVMT-DR between groups (X2 (1, N = 678) = 2.996, p = 0.083). Further, there was no significant difference on the SDMT (p = 0.506) between groups, or in number of subjects impaired on the SDMT between groups (X2 (1, N = 678) = 1.023, p = 0.312). CONCLUSION This study shows that multilingualism does not have a protective effect against CI in PwMS and does not play a role in enriching the cognitive reserve, in contrast to studies in AD. This difference may be explained by a different underlying pathological mechanism in these diseases and warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Morrow
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario (Western), London, ON Canada..
| | - Abedallah A K Balusha
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario (Western), London, ON Canada
| | - Heather Rosehart
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario (Western), London, ON Canada
| | - Courtney Casserly
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario (Western), London, ON Canada
| | - Juan M Racosta
- Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, London Health Sciences Centre, University of Western Ontario (Western), London, ON Canada
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Achaa-Amankwaa P, Kushnereva E, Miksch H, Stumme J, Heim S, Ebersbach M. Multilingualism is associated with small task-specific advantages in cognitive performance of older adults. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16912. [PMID: 37805638 PMCID: PMC10560281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43961-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The protective effects of multiple language knowledge on the maintenance of cognitive functions in older adults have been discussed controversially, among others, because of methodological inconsistencies between studies. In a sample of N = 528 German monolinguals and multilinguals (speaking two or more languages) older than 60 years, this study examined (1) whether speaking multiple languages is positively related to performance on tasks of interference suppression, working memory, concept shifting, and phonemic and semantic fluency, and (2) whether language proficiency and age of second language acquisition (AoA) are associated with cognitive performance of multilinguals. Controlling for education and daily activity, we found small cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages on interference suppression, working memory, and phonemic fluency, but not on concept shifting and semantic fluency. Furthermore, no substantive correlations were found between language proficiency or AoA and cognitive performance. In conclusion, multilingualism appears to have small incremental effects on cognitive performance beyond education and daily activity in older age that are task-specific and widely independent of proficiency and AoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany.
| | - Ekaterina Kushnereva
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Hanna Miksch
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mirjam Ebersbach
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
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Peitz K, Stumme J, Jockwitz C, Bittner N, Caspers S, Heim S. The influence of bilingualism on gray matter volume in the course of aging: a longitudinal study. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1193283. [PMID: 37547741 PMCID: PMC10400456 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1193283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bilingualism is associated with higher gray matter volume (GMV) as a form of brain reserve in brain regions such as the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). A recent cross-sectional study reported the age-related GMV decline in the left IFG and IPL to be steeper for bilinguals than for monolinguals. The present study aimed at supporting this finding for the first time with longitudinal data. Methods In the current study, 200 participants aged 19 to 79 years (87 monolinguals, 113 sequential bilinguals, mostly native German speakers with variable second language background) were included. Trajectories of GMV decline in the bilateral IFG and IPL were analyzed in mono- and bilinguals over two time points (mean time interval: 3.6 years). For four regions of interest (left/right IFG and left/right IPL), mixed Analyses of Covariance were conducted to assess (i) GMV changes over time, (ii) GMV differences for language groups (monolinguals/bilinguals), and (iii) the interaction between time point and language group. Corresponding analyses were conducted for the two factors of GMV, surface area (SA) and cortical thickness (CT). Results There was higher GMV in bilinguals compared to monolinguals in the IPL, but not IFG. While the left and right IFG and the right IPL displayed a similar GMV change in mono- and bilinguals, GMV decline within the left IPL was significantly steeper in bilinguals. There was greater SA in bilinguals in the bilateral IPL and a steeper CT decline in bilinguals within in the left IPL. Conclusion The cross-sectional observations of a steeper GMV decline in bilinguals could be confirmed for the left IPL. Additionally, the higher GMV in bilinguals in the bilateral IPL may indicate that bilingualism contributes to brain reserve especially in posterior brain regions. SA appeared to contribute to bilinguals' higher GMV in the bilateral IPL, while CT seemed to account for the steeper structural decline in bilinguals in the left IPL. The present findings demonstrate the importance of time as an additional factor when assessing the neuroprotective effects of bilingualism on structural features of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Peitz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christiane Jockwitz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nora Bittner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Cruzat J, Herzog R, Prado P, Sanz-Perl Y, Gonzalez-Gomez R, Moguilner S, Kringelbach ML, Deco G, Tagliazucchi E, Ibañez A. Temporal Irreversibility of Large-Scale Brain Dynamics in Alzheimer's Disease. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1643-1656. [PMID: 36732071 PMCID: PMC10008060 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1312-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Healthy brain dynamics can be understood as the emergence of a complex system far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Brain dynamics are temporally irreversible and thus establish a preferred direction in time (i.e., arrow of time). However, little is known about how the time-reversal symmetry of spontaneous brain activity is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD). We hypothesized that the level of irreversibility would be compromised in AD, signaling a fundamental shift in the collective properties of brain activity toward equilibrium dynamics. We investigated the irreversibility from resting-state fMRI and EEG data in male and female human patients with AD and elderly healthy control subjects (HCs). We quantified the level of irreversibility and, thus, proximity to nonequilibrium dynamics by comparing forward and backward time series through time-shifted correlations. AD was associated with a breakdown of temporal irreversibility at the global, local, and network levels, and at multiple oscillatory frequency bands. At the local level, temporoparietal and frontal regions were affected by AD. The limbic, frontoparietal, default mode, and salience networks were the most compromised at the network level. The temporal reversibility was associated with cognitive decline in AD and gray matter volume in HCs. The irreversibility of brain dynamics provided higher accuracy and more distinctive information than classical neurocognitive measures when differentiating AD from control subjects. Findings were validated using an out-of-sample cohort. Present results offer new evidence regarding pathophysiological links between the entropy generation rate of brain dynamics and the clinical presentation of AD, opening new avenues for dementia characterization at different levels.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT By assessing the irreversibility of large-scale dynamics across multiple brain signals, we provide a precise signature capable of distinguishing Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the global, local, and network levels and different oscillatory regimes. Irreversibility of limbic, frontoparietal, default-mode, and salience networks was the most compromised by AD compared with more sensory-motor networks. Moreover, the time-irreversibility properties associated with cognitive decline and atrophy outperformed and complemented classical neurocognitive markers of AD in predictive classification performance. Findings were generalized and replicated with an out-of-sample validation procedure. We provide novel multilevel evidence of reduced irreversibility in AD brain dynamics that has the potential to open new avenues for understating neurodegeneration in terms of the temporal asymmetry of brain dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josephine Cruzat
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación para el Estudio de la Conciencia Humana (ECoH), 7550000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ruben Herzog
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación para el Estudio de la Conciencia Humana (ECoH), 7550000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pavel Prado
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- Escuela de Fonoaudiología, Facultad de Odontología y Ciencias de la Rehabilitación, Universidad San Sebastián, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yonatan Sanz-Perl
- Department of Physics, University of Buenos Aires, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, C116ABJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raul Gonzalez-Gomez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastian Moguilner
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Morten L Kringelbach
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7JX, United Kingdom
- Center for Music in the Brain, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, 8000 Århus, Denmark
- Centre for Eudaimonia and Human Flourishing, Linacre College, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9BX, United Kingdom
| | - Gustavo Deco
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Computational Neuroscience Group, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08005 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de la Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04303 Leipzig, Germany
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3168, Australia
| | - Enzo Tagliazucchi
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Physics, University of Buenos Aires, C1428EGA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, C116ABJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibañez
- Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 7911328, Santiago, Chile
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), C1033AAJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, C116ABJ, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143
- Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
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Calvo N, Anderson JAE, Berkes M, Freedman M, Craik FIM, Bialystok E. Gray Matter Volume as Evidence for Cognitive Reserve in Bilinguals With Mild Cognitive Impairment. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2023; 37:7-12. [PMID: 36821175 PMCID: PMC10128621 DOI: 10.1097/wad.0000000000000549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compared with monolinguals, bilinguals have a later onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer disease symptoms and greater neuropathology at similar cognitive and clinical levels. The present study follows a previous report showing the faster conversion from MCI to Alzheimer disease for bilingual patients than comparable monolinguals, as predicted by a cognitive reserve (CR). PURPOSE Identify whether the increased CR found for bilinguals in the previous study was accompanied by greater gray matter (GM) atrophy than was present for the monolinguals. METHODS A novel deep-learning technique based on convolutional neural networks was used to enhance clinical scans into 1 mm MPRAGEs and analyze the GM volume at the time of MCI diagnosis in the earlier study. PATIENTS Twenty-four bilingual and 24 monolingual patients were diagnosed with MCI at a hospital memory clinic. RESULTS Bilingual patients had more GM loss than monolingual patients in areas related to language processing, attention, decision-making, motor function, and episodic memory retrieval. Bilingualism and age were the strongest predictors of atrophy after other variables such as immigration and education were included in a multivariate model. DISCUSSION CR from bilingualism is evident in the initial stages of neurodegeneration after MCI has been diagnosed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Morris Freedman
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, Toronto
- Department of Medicine, Division of Neurology, Baycrest, Mt. Sinai Hospital, and University of Toronto
| | | | - Ellen Bialystok
- York University, Department of Psychology
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest, Toronto
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10
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Mendez MF. Can Speaking More Than One Language Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease? J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:363-377. [PMID: 37545240 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurocognitive disorder that is epidemic in the elderly population. Currently, there are limited pharmacological interventions, and this has heightened the urgency to identify potential preventable or modifiable risk factors that promote resilience to the neuropathological effects of AD. The regular use of two or more languages is one such factor that may increases cognitive reserve through the long-standing executive control involved in managing multiple languages in the brain. There is also evidence that bilingualism is associated with increased brain reserve or maintenance, particularly in frontal-executive structures and networks. This review examines the current, sometimes conflicting literature on bi/multilingualism and AD. These studies have confounding variations in the assessment of age of second language onset, language proficiency, language usage, and whether determining incidence of AD or age of symptom onset. Despite these limitations, most publications support the presence of increased frontal-executive reserve that compensates for the development of AD neuropathology and, thereby, delays the emergence of clinical symptoms of dementia by about 4-5 years. Although regularly speaking more than one language does not protect against AD neuropathology, the delay in its clinical expression has a potentially significant impact on the lifelong morbidity from this age-related disease. Learning other languages may be an important modifiable factor for delaying the clinical expression of AD in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Mendez
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, and Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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11
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Quiroz YT, Solis M, Aranda MP, Arbaje AI, Arroyo‐Miranda M, Cabrera LY, Carrasquillo MM, Corrada MM, Crivelli L, Diminich ED, Dorsman KA, Gonzales M, González HM, Gonzalez‐Seda AL, Grinberg LT, Guerrero LR, Hill CV, Jimenez‐Velazquez IZ, Guerra JJL, Lopera F, Maestre G, Medina LD, O'Bryant S, Peñaloza C, Pinzon MM, Mavarez RVP, Pluim CF, Raman R, Rascovsky K, Rentz DM, Reyes Y, Rosselli M, Tansey MG, Vila‐Castelar C, Zuelsdorff M, Carrillo M, Sexton C. Addressing the disparities in dementia risk, early detection and care in Latino populations: Highlights from the second Latinos & Alzheimer's Symposium. Alzheimers Dement 2022; 18:1677-1686. [PMID: 35199931 PMCID: PMC9399296 DOI: 10.1002/alz.12589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The Alzheimer's Association hosted the second Latinos & Alzheimer's Symposium in May 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held online over 2 days, with virtual presentations, discussions, mentoring sessions, and posters. The Latino population in the United States is projected to have the steepest increase in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the next 40 years, compared to other ethnic groups. Latinos have increased risk for AD and other dementias, limited access to quality care, and are severely underrepresented in AD and dementia research and clinical trials. The symposium highlighted developments in AD research with Latino populations, including advances in AD biomarkers, and novel cognitive assessments for Spanish-speaking populations, as well as the need to effectively recruit and retain Latinos in clinical research, and how best to deliver health-care services and to aid caregivers of Latinos living with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yakeel T. Quiroz
- Harvard Medical SchoolMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | | | | | - Alicia I. Arbaje
- Division of Geriatric Medicine and GerontologyJohns Hopkins School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
- Department of Health Policy and ManagementJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | | | - Laura Y. Cabrera
- The Pennsylvania State UniversityDepartment of Engineering Science and MechanicsUniversity ParkPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | | | - Lucia Crivelli
- FleniDepartment of Cognitive NeurologyBuenos AiresArgentina
| | | | | | - Mitzi Gonzales
- The University of Texas Health Science Center at San AntonioSan AntonioTexasUSA
| | - Héctor M. González
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of California, San DiegoSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Lea T. Grinberg
- University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Lourdes R. Guerrero
- David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | | | - Ivonne Z. Jimenez‐Velazquez
- Medicine DepartmentUniversity of Puerto Rico School of MedicineMedical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto RicoUSA
| | | | - Francisco Lopera
- Neuroscience Group of AntioquiaUniversity of AntioquiaMedellinColombia
| | | | | | - Sid O'Bryant
- University of North Texas Health Science CenterFort WorthTexasUSA
| | - Claudia Peñaloza
- Department of CognitionDevelopment and Educational PsychologyUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Maria Mora Pinzon
- Department of Family Medicine and Community HealthUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's InstituteUniversity of Wisconsin–MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - Rosa V. Pirela Mavarez
- University of Texas Rio Grande ValleySchool of Medicine, Department of Human GeneticsEdinburgTexasUSA
- Rio Grande Valley Alzheimer's Disease Resources Center for Minority Aging ResearchUniversity of Texas Rio Grande ValleySchool of MedicineEdinburgTexasUSA
| | - Celina F. Pluim
- Harvard Medical SchoolMassachusetts General HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Rema Raman
- Alzheimer's Therapeutic Research InstituteUniversity of Southern CaliforniaSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Katya Rascovsky
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | | | | | - Monica Rosselli
- Department of PsychologyFlorida Atlantic UniversityBoca RatonFloridaUSA
| | | | | | - Megan Zuelsdorff
- University of Wisconsin–Madison School of NursingMadisonWisconsinUSA
- Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research CenterMadisonWisconsinUSA
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12
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Chen S, Lin Y, Zuo S, Wang Z, Liang J, Jiang Z, Xu Y, Wang P, Jing X, Lin L. Cognitive Advantage of Bilingualism Over Monolingualism in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis. Curr Alzheimer Res 2022; 19:555-567. [PMID: 36125836 DOI: 10.2174/1567205019666220920092234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore whether bilingual older adults had a cognitive advantage over their monolingual counterparts, and validate the influence of cognition-related (participants' cognitive condition, the cognitive domain assessed), and bilingualism-related factors (second language proficiency, frequency of use, acquisition time, and immigration status of participants)on the cognitive advantage of bilingualism. METHODS Through a systematic search of nine databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang) from the inception to April 2021, observational studies with bilingual and monolingual older adults as participants and cognitive function scores as outcome measures were included. Two reviewers independently completed the selection and methodological quality assessment of studies using the JBI cross-sectional study quality evaluation tool and used a pre-designed table for data extraction and sorting. RESULTS Fourteen studies with 51 tasks were included, involving 3737 participants (bilingual group: 1695, monolingual group: 2042). The overall results of the meta-analysis showed that bilingualism had a small cognitive advantage over monolingualism in older adults [SMD=0.23, 95%CI (0.07, 0.38), P=0.004]. In addition, the subgroup analyses indicated that factors such as participants' cognitive condition, the cognitive domain assessed, second language proficiency, acquisition time, and immigration status of participants impacted the cognitive advantage of bilingualism in older adults. CONCLUSION Bilingualism had a mild cognitive advantage over monolingualism in older adults, which was more prominent in older adults with mild cognitive impairment than in cognitively healthy ones, more evident in global cognitive function and inhibitory control than in other individual cognitive domains, and might be influenced by the proficiency and acquisition time of second language as well as the immigration status of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yuying Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Shufang Zuo
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Jinghong Liang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zheng Jiang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yue Xu
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Peiyu Wang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Xiuchen Jing
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Lu Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
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13
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Marin-Marin L, Costumero V, Ávila C, Pliatsikas C. Dynamic Effects of Immersive Bilingualism on Cortical and Subcortical Grey Matter Volumes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:886222. [PMID: 35586234 PMCID: PMC9109104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.886222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been shown to induce neuroplasticity in the brain, but conflicting evidence regarding its specific effects in grey matter continues to emerge, probably due to methodological differences between studies, as well as approaches that may miss the variability and dynamicity of bilingual experience. In our study, we devised a continuous score of bilingual experiences and we investigated their non-linear effects on regional GM volume in a sample of young healthy participants from an immersive and naturalistic bilingual environment. We focused our analyses on cortical and subcortical regions that had been previously proposed as part of the bilingual speech pipeline and language control network. Our results showed a non-linear relationship between bilingualism score and grey matter volume of the inferior frontal gyrus. We also found linear increases in volumes of putamen and cerebellum as a function of bilingualism score. These results go in line with predictions for immersive and naturalistic bilingual environments with increased intensity and diversity of language use and provide further evidence supporting the dynamicity of bilingualism’s effects on brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidón Marin-Marin
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Victor Costumero
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - César Ávila
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.,Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Rodriguez M, Mendoza L, Rodriguez I, Rosselli M, Loewenstein D, Burke S, Orozco A, Duara R. Cultural factors related to neuropsychological performance and brain atrophy among Hispanic older adults with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI): A pilot study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2022; 29:364-372. [PMID: 32397837 PMCID: PMC10021027 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2020.1761368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study examined the association of cultural factors and literacy to neuropsychological performance and measures of regional brain atrophy among Hispanic elders diagnosed with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI). METHOD Acculturation and literacy levels were measured among 45 subjects tested in Spanish; their primary language. Scores for measures of memory, executive functioning, and verbal fluency, as well as volumetric analysis of MRI scans of left hemisphere structures commonly affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) were examined. Linear regression models were employed to examine the association of acculturation and literacy to neuropsychological performance and MRI measures. RESULTS After controlling for age, higher literacy levels were associated with better performance on phonemic verbal fluency (r = 0.300, p < .05), while higher levels of acculturation to the U.S. was associated with poorer performance on category verbal fluency (r = 0.300, p < .05). There was a significant inverse relationship after controlling for age between literacy and the left entorhinal cortex (r = -0.455, p < .05), left precuneus (r = -0.457, p < .05), and left posterior cingulate (r = -0.415, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS Results of the current pilot study indicate that high acculturation to the U.S. among aMCI immigrants from Latin-American countries may hinder performance on verbal learning measures when they are administered in one's primary language. Moreover, in this cohort, a higher literacy level, which is indicative of greater cognitive reserve, was associated with better performance in language measures, but with greater atrophy in brain regions susceptible to neurodegenerative disease. These preliminary findings should be further examined among larger cohorts and using more diverse measures, which capture other cultural constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology Doctoral Program, Albizu University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lisandra Mendoza
- Department of Psychology Doctoral Program, Albizu University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ivan Rodriguez
- Department of Psychology Doctoral Program, Albizu University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mónica Rosselli
- Department of Psychology, Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Florida Atlantic University, Davie, FL, USA
| | - David Loewenstein
- Department of Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami and Center on Aging, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Shanna Burke
- Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Amanda Orozco
- Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Ranjan Duara
- Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Wien Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Disorders, Miami Beach, FL, USA
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15
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Gallo F, DeLuca V, Prystauka Y, Voits T, Rothman J, Abutalebi J. Bilingualism and Aging: Implications for (Delaying) Neurocognitive Decline. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:819105. [PMID: 35185498 PMCID: PMC8847162 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.819105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As a result of advances in healthcare, the worldwide average life expectancy is steadily increasing. However, this positive trend has societal and individual costs, not least because greater life expectancy is linked to higher incidence of age-related diseases, such as dementia. Over the past few decades, research has isolated various protective "healthy lifestyle" factors argued to contribute positively to cognitive aging, e.g., healthy diet, physical exercise and occupational attainment. The present article critically reviews neuroscientific evidence for another such factor, i.e., speaking multiple languages. Moreover, with multiple societal stakeholders in mind, we contextualize and stress the importance of the research program that seeks to uncover and understand potential connections between bilingual language experience and cognitive aging trajectories, inclusive of the socio-economic impact it can have. If on the right track, this is an important line of research because bilingualism has the potential to cross-over socio-economic divides to a degree other healthy lifestyle factors currently do not and likely cannot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Gallo
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Yanina Prystauka
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Toms Voits
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jason Rothman
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición (CINC), University Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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16
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How does bilingualism modify cognitive function? Attention to the mechanism. Psychon Bull Rev 2022; 29:1246-1269. [PMID: 35091993 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-022-02057-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
It has been claimed that bilingual experience leads to an enhancement of cognitive control across the lifespan, a claim that has been investigated by comparing monolingual and bilingual groups performing standard executive function (EF) tasks. The results of these studies have been inconsistent, however, leading to controversy over the essential assumptions underlying the research program, namely, whether bilingualism produces cognitive change. We argue that the source of the inconsistency is not in the evidence but rather in the framework that has typically been used to motivate the research and interpret the results. We examine the componential view of EF with its central role for inhibition and argue that it provides a poor fit to both bilingual experience and the results of these studies. As an alternative, we propose a more holistic account based on attentional control that overrides the processes in the componential model of EF and applies to a wider range of tasks. The key element in our account is that behavioral differences between monolingual and bilingual individuals reflect differences in the efficiency and deployment of attentional control between the two language groups. In support of this point we show how attentional control provides a more satisfactory account for a range of findings that cannot reasonably be attributed to inhibition. We also suggest that group differences will emerge only when the attentional demands of a task exceed the control abilities of one of the groups, regardless of the EF components involved. We then review literature from across the lifespan to evaluate the extent to which this account is consistent with existing evidence, and conclude with some suggestions on how the field may be advanced by new lines of empirical enquiry.
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17
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Voits T, Robson H, Rothman J, Pliatsikas C. The effects of bilingualism on hippocampal volume in ageing bilinguals. Brain Struct Funct 2022; 227:979-994. [PMID: 34985602 PMCID: PMC8930894 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02436-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Long-term management of more than one language has been argued to contribute to changes in brain and cognition. This has been particularly well documented in older age, where bilingualism has been linked to protective effects against neurocognitive decline. Since memory difficulties are key aspects of this decline, herein we examine potential effects of bilingualism on the hippocampus, a brain structure related to memory that is particularly vulnerable to cognitive ageing. Hippocampal volume has been shown to increase as a result of second language learning and use in younger adults. However, it is unknown if this is maintained throughout the lifespan. We examine hippocampal volume and episodic memory performance in a participant sample consisting of healthy older individuals with a wide range of experiences in exposure and using a second language. Results reveal greater hippocampal volume calibrated to degree of quantified dual language use. Our results mirror those of immersive active bilingualism in younger populations, suggesting that long-term active bilingualism leads to neuroprotective effects in the hippocampus. We discuss this in the context of literature proposing bilingualism-induced brain reserve in the older age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toms Voits
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Holly Robson
- Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, Chandler House, 2 Wakefield Street, London, WC1N 1PF, UK
| | - Jason Rothman
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Hansine Hansens veg 18, 9019, Tromsø, Norway.,Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Calle de Sta. Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015, Madrid, Spain
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Calle de Sta. Cruz de Marcenado, 27, 28015, Madrid, Spain.,School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Earley Gate, Whiteknights Road, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
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18
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Romero C, Uddin LQ. Bilingualism, Executive Function, and the Brain: Implications for Autism. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:513-531. [PMID: 37214624 PMCID: PMC10158561 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with marked heterogeneity with respect to the development of executive function abilities. The bilingual advantage refers to the observation that individuals who speak two languages perform better on executive function tasks than monolinguals under some circumstances. There is not yet consensus, however, as to whether this advantage can be reliably demonstrated, nor is there consensus regarding under which conditions it emerges. Bilingual and monolingual children with ASD have comparable developmental outcomes, particularly in the areas of core ASD symptoms, cognitive function, and language. Still, despite the potential advantages that bilingualism may confer, clinicians commonly advise against providing a bilingual environment for children with ASD. The purpose of the present review is to provide an up-to-date assessment of the limited literature on bilingualism in children with ASD in order to inform evidence-based practice. Studies suggest a potential bilingual advantage in ASD in the areas of nonverbal intelligence quotient, adaptive functioning, and expressive vocabulary. A limited yet growing literature provides preliminary evidence for enhanced executive function ability in some children with ASD. Taken together, current evidence suggests that although a bilingual advantage may not be universally present in typical development, it may manifest under specific circumstances, conferring advantage for populations in which executive function is compromised. Further work is needed to develop consistent, evidence-based guidelines around language recommendations for families of children with ASD and to better understand the cognitive and brain mechanisms giving rise to the bilingual advantage in clinical developmental populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Romero
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Lucina Q. Uddin
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
- Neuroscience Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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19
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NRM 2021 Abstract Booklet. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:11-309. [PMID: 34905986 PMCID: PMC8851538 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211061050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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20
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Ardila A, Lahiri D, Mukherjee A. Bilingualism as a protective factor in aphasia. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2021:1-9. [PMID: 34392763 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2021.1960837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bilingualism may affect the profile of cognitive disturbances associated with stroke. Its impact on aphasia severity, however, is in need of substantiation. AIMS To determine the relationship between bilingualism and vascular aphasia severity. METHODS This is an observational cross-sectional study conducted on people with post-stroke aphasia. Our sample included 155 monolingual and 53 bilingual vascular aphasia patients. They were selected in a neurological hospital in Kolkata (West Bengal, India). RESULTS The Bengali version of Western Aphasia Battery (BWAB) was used in this study. Aphasia severity was compared between monolingual and bilingual participants. The overall difference in the mean aphasia quotient (AQ) between bilingual and monolingual participants was statistically significant (p = 0.009). It was also found that in bilingual participants, aphasia was less severe in certain subgroups, namely: higher lesion volume, male gender, and sub-cortical stroke, while in none of the subgroups a monolingual advantage was documented. CONCLUSION Current results suggest that bilingualism represents a protective factor in vascular aphasia; this effect is observed particularly in some aphasia subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Ardila
- Institute of Linguistics and Intercultural Communication, First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia.,Psychology Doctoral Program, Albizu University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Durjoy Lahiri
- Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, IPGME&R and SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, India
| | - Alok Mukherjee
- Electrical Engineering, Government College of Engineering and Ceramic Technology, Kolkata, India
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21
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Jafari Z, Perani D, Kolb BE, Mohajerani MH. Bilingual experience and intrinsic functional connectivity in adults, aging, and Alzheimer's disease. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2021; 1505:8-22. [PMID: 34309857 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The past decade marked the beginning of the use of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) imaging in bilingualism studies. This paper intends to review the latest evidence of changes in RSFC in language and cognitive control networks in bilinguals during adulthood, aging, and early Alzheimer's disease, which can add to our understanding of brain functional reshaping in the context of second language (L2) acquisition. Because of high variability in bilingual experience, recent studies mostly focus on the role of the main aspects of bilingual experience (age of acquisition (AoA), language proficiency, and language usage) on intrinsic functional connectivity (FC). Existing evidence accounts for stronger FC in simultaneous rather than sequential bilinguals in language and control networks, and the modulation of the AoA impact by language proficiency and usage. Studies on older bilingual adults show stronger FC in language and frontoparietal networks and preserved FC in posterior brain regions, which can protect the brain against cognitive decline and neurodegenerative processes. Altered RSFC in language and control networks subsequent to L2 training programs also is associated with improved global cognition in older adults. This review ends with a brief discussion of potential confounding factors in bilingualism research and conclusions and suggestions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Jafari
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniela Perani
- Faculty of Psychology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.,Nuclear Medicine Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Bryan E Kolb
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Majid H Mohajerani
- Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
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22
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Kang M, Lee I, Hong H, Kim J, Kang H. Predictors of Changes in Cognitive Function in Older Korean Adults: The 2006-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18126345. [PMID: 34208163 PMCID: PMC8296181 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18126345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive decline with normal aging varies widely among individuals. This study aimed to investigate predictors of longitudinal changes in cognitive function in community-dwelling Korean adults aged 65 years and older. Data from 727 older adults who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) survey from 2006 (baseline) until 2018 (seventh wave) were used. Cognitive performance was assessed with the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination. The participants were retrospectively classified into normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, and moderate/severe cognitive impairment. Education, income, religion, living area, alcohol intake, smoking, physical activity, handgrip strength, functional dependency, depression, comorbidity, medications, fall experience, and unintentional weight loss were included as covariates. A linear mixed regression analysis showed that a steeper decline in cognitive function over time was significantly associated with parameters of poor socio-economic status, health conditions, and unhealthy behaviors. Individuals with mild cognitive impairment or moderate/severe cognitive impairment were likely to have steeper cognitive declines compared with individuals with normal cognition. The current findings of the study showed that age-related cognitive decline was multifactorial in older Korean adults.
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Luchesi BM, Melo BRDS, Balderrama P, Gratão ACM, Chagas MHN, Pavarini SCI, Martins TCR. Prevalence of risk factors for dementia in middle- and older- aged people registered in Primary Health Care. Dement Neuropsychol 2021; 15:239-247. [PMID: 34345366 PMCID: PMC8283878 DOI: 10.1590/1980-57642021dn15-020012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/06/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to assess the prevalence of risk factors for dementia to slow down the progression and evolution of the disease, and to support interventions and prevention programs. OBJECTIVE We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of these factors in individuals registered in Primary Health Care in Brazil and their relationship with sex and age group. METHODS This was a cross-sectional and quantitative study with n=300 individuals. We evaluated the prevalence of main risk factors (low education, hearing loss, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation, and diabetes mellitus) and others (poor diet, alcohol use, head trauma, monolingualism, visual impairment, and sleep disorders) identified in the literature. Poisson regression was used, according to sex and age group (45-59 years/60+ years). RESULTS The main risk factors with the highest prevalence were physical inactivity (60.3%) and depressive symptoms and hypertension (56.7% each). Among the other factors, monolingualism (98.0%), visual impairment (84.7%), and irregular consumption of fruits (60.4%), and vegetables (53.5%) prevailed. No differences were identified between sexes. The regression analysis confirmed a significant difference for education and age group, with older individuals having a higher prevalence of low schooling. CONCLUSION The results can guide interventions, especially in developing countries. Practice of physical activity and healthy eating should be the focus of these interventions as they can indirectly help in reducing the prevalence of other factors. Early identification, screening and adequate treatment of depressive symptoms, high blood pressure and visual impairment can also contribute to reducing the prevalence of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Moretti Luchesi
- Undergraduate Medical School, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas - Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Nursing, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas - Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | | | - Priscila Balderrama
- Undergraduate Medical School, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas - Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
| | - Aline Cristina Martins Gratão
- Graduate Program in Nursing, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - São Carlos, SP, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Gerontology, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos Hortes Nisihara Chagas
- Graduate Program in Gerontology, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - São Carlos, SP, Brazil
- Bairral Institute of Psychiatry - Itapira, SP, Brazil
| | - Sofia Cristina Iost Pavarini
- Graduate Program in Nursing, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - São Carlos, SP, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Gerontology, Universidade Federal de São Carlos - São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Carvalho Reis Martins
- Undergraduate Medical School, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas - Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Nursing, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campus de Três Lagoas - Três Lagoas, MS, Brazil
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Cieri F, Zhuang X, Caldwell JZK, Cordes D. Brain Entropy During Aging Through a Free Energy Principle Approach. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:647513. [PMID: 33828471 PMCID: PMC8019811 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.647513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neural complexity and brain entropy (BEN) have gained greater interest in recent years. The dynamics of neural signals and their relations with information processing continue to be investigated through different measures in a variety of noteworthy studies. The BEN of spontaneous neural activity decreases during states of reduced consciousness. This evidence has been showed in primary consciousness states, such as psychedelic states, under the name of "the entropic brain hypothesis." In this manuscript we propose an extension of this hypothesis to physiological and pathological aging. We review this particular facet of the complexity of the brain, mentioning studies that have investigated BEN in primary consciousness states, and extending this view to the field of neuroaging with a focus on resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. We first introduce historic and conceptual ideas about entropy and neural complexity, treating the mindbrain as a complex nonlinear dynamic adaptive system, in light of the free energy principle. Then, we review the studies in this field, analyzing the idea that the aim of the neurocognitive system is to maintain a dynamic state of balance between order and chaos, both in terms of dynamics of neural signals and functional connectivity. In our exploration we will review studies both on acute psychedelic states and more chronic psychotic states and traits, such as those in schizophrenia, in order to show the increase of entropy in those states. Then we extend our exploration to physiological and pathological aging, where BEN is reduced. Finally, we propose an interpretation of these results, defining a general trend of BEN in primary states and cognitive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Cieri
- Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, United States
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25
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Tao L, Wang G, Zhu M, Cai Q. Bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:264-295. [PMID: 33631315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A large body of research has indicated that bilingualism - through continual practice in language control - may impact cognitive functions, as well as relevant aspects of brain function and structure. The present review aimed to bring together findings on the relationship between bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective. The final sample included 210 studies, covering findings regarding neural responses to bilingual language control and/or domain-general cognitive tasks, as well as findings regarding effects of bilingualism on non-task-related brain function and brain structure. The evidence indicates that a) bilingual language control likely entails neural mechanisms responsible for domain-general cognitive functions; b) bilingual experiences impact neural responses to domain-general cognitive functions; and c) bilingual experiences impact non-task-related brain function (both resting-state and metabolic function) as well as aspects of brain structure (both macrostructure and microstructure), each of which may in turn impact mental processes, including domain-general cognitive functions. Such functional and structural neuroplasticity associated with bilingualism may contribute to both cognitive and neural reserves, producing benefits across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Tao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Gongting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Qing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China; Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, China; NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, China.
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26
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Marin-Marin L, Palomar-García MÁ, Miró-Padilla A, Adrián-Ventura J, Aguirre N, Villar-Rodríguez E, Costumero V. Bilingualism's Effects on Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Mild Cognitive Impairment. Brain Connect 2021; 11:30-37. [PMID: 33307994 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2020.0877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Bilingualism is considered a cognitive reserve (CR) factor, due to the delay in the onset of dementia in bilinguals compared with monolinguals. Two neural mechanisms have been suggested to underlie CR: neural reserve and neural compensation. However, it is still unclear how bilingualism contributes to these mechanisms. Methods: In this study, we used cognitive tests, functional connectivity (FC), regional homogeneity, and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) measures to study resting-state brain patterns in a sample of bilingual and monolingual subjects with mild cognitive impairment. Results: We found no significant differences between the groups in age, sex, education, or cognitive level, but bilinguals showed higher FC than monolinguals between the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus and the precuneus, positively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination scores, and higher fALFF in the thalamus bilaterally. Conclusions: Our results suggest that bilingualism may act as a CR factor that protects against dementia through neural compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidón Marin-Marin
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - María-Ángeles Palomar-García
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Anna Miró-Padilla
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Jesús Adrián-Ventura
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Naiara Aguirre
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Esteban Villar-Rodríguez
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain
| | - Victor Costumero
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University Jaume I, Castelló, Spain.,Center for Brain and Cognition, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
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Berkes M, Calvo N, Anderson JAE, Bialystok E. Poorer clinical outcomes for older adult monolinguals when matched to bilinguals on brain health. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:415-424. [PMID: 33432426 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02185-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have reported bilingualism to be a proxy of cognitive reserve (CR) based on evidence that bilinguals express dementia symptoms ~ 4 years later than monolinguals yet present with greater neuropathology at time of diagnosis when clinical levels are similar. The current study provides new evidence supporting bilingualism's contribution to CR using a novel brain health matching paradigm. Forty cognitively normal bilinguals with diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images recruited from the community were matched with monolinguals drawn from a pool of 165 individuals in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. White matter integrity was determined for all participants using fractional anisotropy, axial diffusivity, and radial diffusivity scores. Propensity scores were obtained using white matter measures, sex, age, and education as predictive covariates, and then used in one-to-one matching between language groups, creating a matched sample of 32 participants per group. Matched monolinguals had poorer clinical diagnoses than that predicted by chance from a theoretical null distribution, and poorer cognitive performances than matched bilinguals as measured by scores on the MMSE. The findings provide support for the interpretation that bilingualism acts as a proxy of CR such that monolinguals have poorer clinical and cognitive outcomes than bilinguals for similar levels of white matter integrity even before clinical symptoms appear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Berkes
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | | | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada.
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28
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Cognitive and behavioural flexibility: neural mechanisms and clinical considerations. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:167-179. [PMID: 33536614 PMCID: PMC7856857 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00428-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 68.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive and behavioural flexibility permit the appropriate adjustment of thoughts and behaviours in response to changing environmental demands. Brain mechanisms enabling flexibility have been examined using non-invasive neuroimaging and behavioural approaches in humans alongside pharmacological and lesion studies in animals. This work has identified large-scale functional brain networks encompassing lateral and orbital frontoparietal, midcingulo-insular and frontostriatal regions that support flexibility across the lifespan. Flexibility can be compromised in early-life neurodevelopmental disorders, clinical conditions that emerge during adolescence and late-life dementias. We critically evaluate evidence for the enhancement of flexibility through cognitive training, physical activity and bilingual experience.
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29
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Liu H, Wu L. Lifelong Bilingualism Functions as an Alternative Intervention for Cognitive Reserve Against Alzheimer's Disease. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:696015. [PMID: 34366926 PMCID: PMC8339371 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.696015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been reported to significantly delay the onset of dementia and plays an important role in the management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a condition inducing impairment in the brain network and cognitive decline. Cognitive reserve is associated with the adaptive maintenance of neural functions by protecting against neuropathology. Bilingualism acts as a beneficial environmental factor contributing to cognitive reserve, although some potential confounding variables still need further elucidation. In this article, the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive reserve is discussed, interpreting the advantage of bilingualism in protecting against cognitive decline. In addition, the possible brain and biochemical mechanisms, supporting the advantageous effects of bilingualism in delaying the onset of dementia, involved in bilingualism are reviewed. Effectively, bilingualism can be considered as a pharmacological intervention with no side effects. However, the investigation of the pharmacological parameters of bilingualism is still at an early stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqing Liu
- Department of Foreign Languages, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
| | - Longhuo Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, China
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30
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Beyond Alzheimer's disease: Can bilingualism be a more generalized protective factor in neurodegeneration? Neuropsychologia 2020; 147:107593. [PMID: 32882240 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2020.107593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Bilingualism has been argued to have an impact on cognition and brain structure. Effects have been reported across the lifespan: from healthy children to ageing adults, including clinical (ageing) populations. It has been argued that active bilingualism may significantly contribute to the delaying of the expression of Alzheimer's disease symptoms. If bilingualism plays an ameliorative role against the expression of neurodegeneration in dementia, it is possible that it could have similar effects for other neurodegenerative disorders, including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's and Huntington's Diseases. To date, however, direct relevant evidence remains limited, not least because the necessary scientific motivations for investigating this with greater depth have not yet been fully articulated. Herein, we provide a roadmap that reviews the relevant literatures, highlighting potential links across neurodegenerative disorders and bilingualism more generally.
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31
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Celik S, Kokje E, Meyer P, Frölich L, Teichmann B. Does bilingualism influence neuropsychological test performance in older adults? A systematic review. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY-ADULT 2020; 29:855-873. [PMID: 32677470 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2020.1788032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Using standardized tests which have been normed on monolinguals for the assessment of bilinguals presents challenges to the accurate characterization of cognitive profile as the literature provides compelling evidence for the influence of bilingualism on cognitive abilities. However, little is known about the generalizability of these findings to clinical neuropsychology. The aim of this review was to address this gap by summarizing current evidence on the performance of bilingual older adults on standardized tests routinely used in clinical practice. METHOD A systematic search of Web of Science, PsycINFO and PubMed was conducted. 27 cross-sectional and longitudinal studies which use at least one standardized neuropsychological test for cognitive impairment were included in the review. Potential demographic (cultural/linguistic background of the participants, immigrant status), clinical (diagnostic status), and methodological confounders (language of test administration, components of bilingualism) were also examined. The review protocol was registered at the PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Review with registration number CRD42018114658. RESULTS The results of this review revealed some bilingual advantage on measures of inhibitory control and bilingual disadvantage on measures of verbal fluency in cross-sectional studies. Bilingualism status was not associated with test performance in longitudinal studies. However, findings lack consistency due to demographic variables and methodological differences across studies. CONCLUSION Neuropsychological tests assessing language domains and, to some extent executive function act as clinically relevant features of bilingualism for neuropsychological evaluation. However, immigration status, acculturation level and language of test administration needs to be taken into account when assessing bilingual older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simge Celik
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Eesha Kokje
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Patric Meyer
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Faculty of Applied Psychology, SRH University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lutz Frölich
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Birgit Teichmann
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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32
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Raji CA, Meysami S, Merrill DA, Porter VR, Mendez MF. Brain Structure in Bilingual Compared to Monolingual Individuals with Alzheimer's Disease: Proof of Concept. J Alzheimers Dis 2020; 76:275-280. [PMID: 32508324 DOI: 10.3233/jad-200200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bilingualism is increasingly recognized as protective in persons at risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). OBJECTIVE Compare MRI measured brain volumes in matched bilinguals versus monolinguals with AD. METHODS This IRB approved study analyzed T1 volumetric brain MRIs of patients with criteria-supported Probable AD. We identified 17 sequential bilinguals (any native language) with Probable AD, matched to 28 (62%) monolinguals on age and MMSE. Brain volumes were quantified with Neuroreader. Regional volumes as fraction of total intracranial volume (TIV) were compared between both groups, and Cohen's D effect sizes were calculated for statistically significant structures. Partial correlations between bilingualism and brain volumes adjusted for age, gender, and TIV. RESULTS Bilinguals had higher brain volumes in 37 structures. Statistical significance (p < 0.05) was observed in brainstem (t = 2.33, p = 0.02, Cohen's D = 0.71) and ventral diencephalon (t = 3.01, p = 0.004, Cohen's D = 0.91). Partial correlations showed statistical significance between bilingualism and larger volumes in brainstem (rp = 0 . 37, p = 0.01), thalamus (rp = 0.31, p = 0.04), ventral diencephalon (rp = 0.50, p = 0.001), and pallidum (rp = 0.38, p = 0.01). Bilingualism positively correlated with hippocampal volume, though not statistically significant (rp = 0.17, p = 0.26). No brain volumes were larger in monolinguals. CONCLUSION Bilinguals demonstrated larger thalamic, ventral diencephalon, and brainstem volumes compared to matched monolinguals with AD. This may represent a neural substrate for increased cognitive reserve in bilingualism. Future studies should extrapolate this finding into cognitively normal persons at risk for AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyrus A Raji
- Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Division of Neuroradiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Somayeh Meysami
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - David A Merrill
- Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,The John Wayne Cancer Institute and Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Providence and St. Johns Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Verna R Porter
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,The John Wayne Cancer Institute and Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Providence and St. Johns Health Center, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Mario F Mendez
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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33
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Cognitive and brain reserve in bilinguals: field overview and explanatory mechanisms. JOURNAL OF CULTURAL COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s41809-020-00058-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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