Multilingualism is associated with small task-specific advantages in cognitive performance of older adults

Scientific Reports, vol. 13, pp. 16912

Abstract

The protective effects of multiple language knowledge on the maintenance of cognitive functions in older adults have been discussed controversially, among others, because of methodological inconsistencies between studies. In a sample of N = 528 German monolinguals and multilinguals (speaking two or more languages) older than 60 years, this study examined (1) whether speaking multiple languages is positively related to performance on tasks of interference suppression, working memory, concept shifting, and phonemic and semantic fluency, and (2) whether language proficiency and age of second language acquisition (AoA) are associated with cognitive performance of multilinguals. Controlling for education and daily activity, we found small cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages on interference suppression, working memory, and phonemic fluency, but not on concept shifting and semantic fluency. Furthermore, no substantive correlations were found between language proficiency or AoA and cognitive performance. In conclusion, multilingualism appears to have small incremental effects on cognitive performance beyond education and daily activity in older age that are task-specific and widely independent of proficiency and AoA.

Authors 5

1. Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa corresponding

   University of Kassel

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany. priscilla.achaa@uni-kassel.de

   Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany

2. Hanna Miksch

   University of Kassel

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany

3. Johanna Stumme

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · Düsseldorf University Hospital · Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany

   Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany

4. Stefan Heim Aachen Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics Medical Faculty

   Forschungszentrum Jülich · RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany

5. Mirjam Ebersbach

   University of Kassel

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany