Bilingualism Protects Domain-Specific Cognitive Function in Mandarin-Speaking Older Adults

Le résumé fourni par la source

ABSTRACT Objectives This study examined whether bilingualism is associated with episodic memory (EM) and executive function (EF) in older Mandarin-speaking adults and whether associations differ by clinical diagnosis. Methods 189 Mandarin-speaking older adults completed Mandarin-administered neuropsychological testing, brain MRI, and clinical diagnosis. English proficiency test was administered to determine whether they were bilinguals or monolinguals. Sensitivity analyses were conducted in an education-matched subgroup (16 years). Results Bilingualism was associated with higher EF, with a significant bilingualism × diagnosis interaction indicating larger bilingual advantages among cognitively impaired participants. However, bilingualism was not associated with EM. Findings were preserved in education-matched analysis. Conclusions Results support a domain-specific association between bilingualism and executive function in later life, consistent with cognitive maintenance mechanisms preferentially supporting executive processes rather than global protection.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.