quinta-feira, 11 de novembro de 2010

Alzheimers may be delayed up to 5 years by bilingualism



Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Keep talking, in English and in French, or better yet in German and Spanish as well, and you might have up to a five-year delay before Alzheimers begins to affect you, according to a new report published in the medical publication Neurology 9 November.
A study carried out on 211 patients indicates that onset may be delayed in people who regularly speak two or more languages.
The authors note in their abstract that “There is strong epidemiologic evidence to suggest that older adults who maintain an active lifestyle in terms of social, mental, and physical engagement are protected to some degree against the onset of dementia.
Such factors are said to contribute to cognitive reserve, which acts to compensate for the accumulation of amyloid and other brain pathologies.
We present evidence that lifelong bilingualism is a further factor contributing to cognitive reserve.”
Links to: Geneva Alzheimers Association and Vaud Alzheimers section (both are in French)

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