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Does Multilingualism Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease? Findings from the Nun Study

This study explores the potential association between multilingualism and the development of Alzheimer's Disease. Results suggest that multilingualism may not significantly protect against AD. Further research is needed to understand the relationship between multilingualism and AD.

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Does Multilingualism Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease? Findings from the Nun Study

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  1. Does Multilingualism Protect Against Alzheimer’s Disease? Findings from the Nun Study EE Hack1, SL Tyas1,2, KP Riley3,4 1 Department of Health studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo 2 Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo 3 Department of Preventative Medicine, University of Kentucky 4 Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, University of Kentucky

  2. The authors have no conflicts of interest with respect to this investigation

  3. Introduction • Interest has been mounting concerning the neuroprotective effects of mental engagement • The more one is mentally stimulated, the more cognitive reserve one is hypothesized to build against neuropathology-induced cognitive decline • Preliminary evidence suggests that multilingualism may protect against the onset of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)

  4. Aim • To examine the association between multilingualism and AD development

  5. Methods • Sample: The Nun Study • 678 members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame • Aged 75-102 at baseline assessment • 12 waves of cognitive assessment • Brain donation at death • Sample was restricted to include only participants with complete data on variables and covariates of interest

  6. Methods • 3 AD outcomes considered • Clinical dementia • AD-CERAD: Dementia + AD pathology (CERAD) • AD-NIA: Dementia + AD pathology (NIA-RI) • Comparison group for dementia • No evidence of clinical dementia • Comparison group for AD groups • No evidence of clinical dementia or AD pathology • Multilingualism • Defined as speaking two or more languages fluently • Measured via self-report

  7. Analysis • Descriptive analyses • Logistic Regression models • Adjusted for age at death, education, occupation, immigrant status, and presence of ApoE*E4 allele

  8. Results – Logistic regression models • Multilingualism was not significantly associated with any of the three outcomes • Clinical dementia: OR = 1.19 (0.74, 1.90) • AD-CERAD : OR = 1.40 (0.57, 3.41) • AD-NIA: OR = 0.93 (0.45, 1.91) • ApoE*E4 allele and older age at death were significantly associated with increased odds of AD

  9. Conclusion • Multilingualism was not significantly associated with any outcome of interest • Future studiesshould further examine whether other relationships exist between multilingualism and AD • delay in AD onset • severity of AD manifestation • A developing research area • Lack in variety of study designs • Account for genetic factors or other unique covariates

  10. Acknowledgements • School Sisters of Notre Dame religious congregation • Funding for the Nun Study at the University of Kentucky: NIA 5R01AG09862, K04AG00553, P50AG05144; and the Kleberg Foundation • University of Minnesota, home of the Nun Study

  11. Thank-you!

  12. Results – descriptive analyses • Clinical dementia • N=408; 48.5% with AD • Multilingual: 73.7% cases vs. 70.9% controls • AD -CERAD • N=171; 67.8% with AD • Multilingual: 75.9% cases vs.72.7% controls • AD-NIA • N=197; 53.2% with AD • Multilingual: 68.6% cases vs. 71.7% controls

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