Does Bilingualism Influence Cognitive Aging?

Thomas H. Bak; Jack J. Nissan; Michael M. Allerhand; Ian J. Deary

doi:10.1002/ana.24158

Does Bilingualism Influence Cognitive Aging?

Thomas H. Bak^*, Jack J. Nissan, Michael M. Allerhand, Ian J. Deary

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Recent evidence suggests a positive impact of bilingualism on cognition, including later onset of dementia. However, monolinguals and bilinguals might have different baseline cognitive ability. We present the first study examining the effect of bilingualism on later-life cognition controlling for childhood intelligence. We studied 853 participants, first tested in 1947 (age=11 years), and retested in 2008-2010. Bilinguals performed significantly better than predicted from their baseline cognitive abilities, with strongest effects on general intelligence and reading. Our results suggest a positive effect of bilingualism on later-life cognition, including in those who acquired their second language in adulthood.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	959-963
Number of pages	5
Journal	Annals of Neurology
Volume	75
Issue number	6
Early online date	2 Jun 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.24158
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 2 Jun 2014

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

LOTHIAN BIRTH COHORTS
ONSET
AGE
MULTILINGUALISM
DEMENTIA
DELAYS
BRAIN

Access to Document

10.1002/ana.24158Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

PDF - Does Bilingualism Influence Cognitive Aging?
© Bak, T. H., Nissan, J. J., Allerhand, M. M., & Deary, I. J. (2014). Does bilingualism influence cognitive aging?. Annals of Neurology. 10.1002/ana.24158
Final published version, 124 KB

RA2661 Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2. Main Budget.
Deary, I., Gale, C., Holmes, M., Logie, P., Maclullich, A., Porteous, D., Seckl, J., Starr, J., Wardlaw, J. & Okely, J.
1/09/13 → 31/08/19
Project: Research
Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2.
Maclullich, A.
1/09/13 → 31/08/19
Project: Research
MRC Centenary Awards
Deary, I.
MRC
1/06/12 → 30/09/13
Project: Research

Thomas Bak
- thomas.baked.acuk
Person: Academic: Research Active

Cite this

@article{29baeba961424589a8ee885c53c2150a,

title = "Does Bilingualism Influence Cognitive Aging?",

abstract = "Recent evidence suggests a positive impact of bilingualism on cognition, including later onset of dementia. However, monolinguals and bilinguals might have different baseline cognitive ability. We present the first study examining the effect of bilingualism on later-life cognition controlling for childhood intelligence. We studied 853 participants, first tested in 1947 (age=11 years), and retested in 2008-2010. Bilinguals performed significantly better than predicted from their baseline cognitive abilities, with strongest effects on general intelligence and reading. Our results suggest a positive effect of bilingualism on later-life cognition, including in those who acquired their second language in adulthood.",

keywords = "LOTHIAN BIRTH COHORTS, ONSET, AGE, MULTILINGUALISM, DEMENTIA, DELAYS, BRAIN",

author = "Bak, {Thomas H.} and Nissan, {Jack J.} and Allerhand, {Michael M.} and Deary, {Ian J.}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2014 American Neurological Association.",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1002/ana.24158",

language = "English",

volume = "75",

pages = "959--963",

journal = "Annals of Neurology",

issn = "0364-5134",