SuppliedThe global population is living longer because of advancements in medical technologies, and there has been a growing interest in the factors that promote healthy aging. According to Tanya Dash, bilingualism is one such factor.
Dash is an assistant professor in the department of communication sciences and disorders at the University of Alberta. She studies the effects of bilingualism on the brain, with a focus on the elderly population. She also studies clinical populations of those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other related conditions to see how bilingualism affects their outcomes.
“You use language to communicate with your friends, family, [and] watch different kinds of music or movies,” Dash said. “[Language] has a lot of socio-cultural impacts on us which no one talks about.
Learning a language can be thought of as an investment, Dash said. It effectively trains the frontal lobe, which is responsible for expressive language. However, according to Dash, nobody is “completely monolingual.”
“There are different levels of bilingualism,” Dash said. They depend on people’s history and experiences. She mentioned that no two bilingual people will be the same, and that even bilinguality can be difficult to define. As a result, she strives to study variability within bilingual populations.
Bilingualism can delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases later in life
Whereas cognitive decline with age is natural, Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative condition marked by sudden and pronounced cognitive changes. Dash contrasted this with natural aging being more of a “plateau.”
Research has indicated that bilingualism may delay Alzheimer’s symptoms by up to five years. The neurobiology of the disease remains the same — instead, it is the symptomatology that changes, Dash said. She also said that while it might seem like symptoms in bilingual people appear suddenly, this is because they are able to “mask” their symptoms for a longer time.
The idea of building up a “cognitive reserve” extends well beyond language, Dash said.
“If you do any skill-based activity which allows your executive function to be worked or overworked, [this] allows your frontal lobe to be active and that helps you to be successful in your aging process,” Dash said. She added that even playing sudoku can have a positive effect.
Learning a language is most effective in a social environment, according to Dash
As for language learning, Dash said it is most effective when done in a social environment.
“No one can negate that you need to learn language in a social setting,” Dash said. It also helps to have a purpose or incentive.
Dash explained that while language-learning apps may be effective in theory, an elderly person may have little incentive to use them. This is especially true if none of their friends are on the given app. Having a purpose, even if it’s something as simple as learning a few words for a trip abroad, can make a huge difference.
Rather than focusing on perfection, Dash suggested that learners should focus on the use of the language. It’s also important to challenge yourself, she added, whether or not you have full language immersion.
Even an older individual can reap the benefits of language learning, according to Dash. At the end of the day, it comes down to “whatever tickles your frontal lobe.”
