BILINGUALISM AND

DEMENTIA
(ALZHEIMERS)
By Chao Lun Chen

Inspiration: New York Times Article

Idea: if the initial studies were true (more bilingualism = less

dementia), it should be true on a macro/societal level

Dementia is a symptom of Alzheimers

Challenge: Can this be proved?

Why: Prevent more neurodegenerative diseases, increase

bilingualism, more linguistics?!

Discussion: Possible solutions

Look at the challenges for the solutions

Where should we implement the solutions?

PREVIEW

Summary

Two languages create an environment of interference

Interference strengthens cognitive muscles

Two studies with babies that proved this (Bhattacharjee, Y)

NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE: WHY

BILINGUALS ARE SMARTER

In a recent study of 44 elderly Spanish-English bilinguals, scientists led by

the neuropsychologist Tamar Gollan of the University of California, San
Diego, found that individuals with a higher degree of bilingualism
measured through a comparative evaluation of proficiency in each
language were more resistant than others to the onset of dementia and
other symptoms of Alzheimers disease: the higher the degree of
bilingualism, the later the age of onset. (Bhattacharjee, Y)
Can we find evidence for this elsewhere?

IMPORTANT POINT

Two variables

US Census data - % of households who have more than one

primary language -> proxy for identifying bilingualism

US Alzheimer rates normalized rate of population with

Alzheimer's per 1,000

Normalized by taking total estimated Alzheimer incidences / total

population in that State multiplied by 1,000

DATA SOURCES

A d ju s t e d _ R a t e s _ P e r_ T h o u s a n d _ 2 0

Adjusted_Rates_Per_Thousand_201 versus Percent_Households_Speak_More_t (with least squares fit)

28

North Dakota

26
24

Florida

W est Virginia
Rhode Island

22
Hawaii

Oregon

20

Massachusetts
18
Il li nois
16

Arizona

New Mexico
Texas

14

California

Georgia
12

Nevada

10
8

Alaska
Y = 20.0 - 15.6X

6
0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

Percent_Households_Speak_More_t

RATE OF DEMENTIA PER 1,000

PEOPLE OF A POPULATION
Data source links in Works

Looks great! Supports the New York Times article.

Clear negative relationship

Adjusted R^2 = 0.151654

Implies that 15.2% of the variance in Dementia rates is explained

by % of households with one more than language

Please note: Alzheimers has many factors/variables

R = -0.389428 or ~ -40%

Confirms the negative relationship

REGRESSION ANALYSIS

Two proposals

Everyone gets Rosetta Stone

Mandatory secondary language proficiency level attainment at a

young age or mandatory secondary language education
beginning in elementary school

Continued education a requirement for life? (Like for active lawyers)

Should attaining a high school diploma require continued education?

DISCUSSION: IS THERE A
LINGUISTIC SOLUTION?

WHERE DO WE STAND REGARDING SECONDARY

LANGUAGE EDUCATION?

THE PERCENTAGE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OFFERING

FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION DECREASED FROM 31 TO 25 PERCENT
FROM 1997 TO 2008. INSTRUCTION IN PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
DROPPED FROM 24 PERCENT TO 15 PERCENT, WITH RURAL DISTRICTS HIT
THE HARDEST.
- THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS OFFERING FOREIGN LANGUAGE
INSTRUCTION DECREASED FROM 75 TO 58 PERCENT.
- THE PERCENTAGE OF HIGH SCHOOLS OFFERING SOME FOREIGN LANGUAGE
COURSES REMAINED ABOUT THE SAME, AT 91 PERCENT.
- ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND 30 PERCENT OF
MIDDLE SCHOOLS REPORT A SHORTAGE OF QUALIFIED FOREIGN LANGUAGE
TEACHERS.
(SKORTON, D. & ALTSCHULER, G. (N.D.))

K-MEANS CLUSTER VISUALIZATION:

WHERE DO WE GO WITH OUR SOLUTION?

K-MEANS CLUSTER ANALYSIS

Confirms the regression analysis
Suggests that states <10% bilingualism have the highest rates of dementia.
Suggests that states >10% bilingualism have the lowest rates of dementia
Can also suggest which clusters of States should be reached out to first with
any proposed solution

MEMBERS OF CENTROID 2
Dementia
Rates per
1,000
23.75
17.86
18.44
19.04

Dementia
Percent
Rates per
Households State
1,000
2.2%
West Virginia 18.82
3.1%
Mississippi
19.34
3.9%
Kentucky
19.73
4.2%
Alabama
18.31

Percent
Households
7.6%
8.0%
8.1%
8.4%

21.22
17.58
18.37
18.91
26.76
20.58

4.2%
5.1%
5.3%
5.6%
5.7%
5.9%

16.71
18.21
20.26
22.04
17.83
18.58

8.7%
8.9%
9.0%
9.1%
9.2%
9.4%

State
Maine
Wisconsin
Oklahoma
Louisiana
New
Hampshire
Michigan
Nebraska
Pennsylvania
North Carolina
Kansas

17.30
17.74
23.34
19.94
22.65

5.9%
5.9%
6.0%
6.1%
6.2%

17.72
16.59
15.59
12.39
16.25

9.4%
9.7%
11.5%
11.6%
12.7%

Minnesota
Idaho
Delaware
Georgia
Virginia

Montana
Vermont
Missouri
Tennessee
North Dakota
Arkansas
South
Carolina
Wyoming
South Dakota
Ohio
Iowa

Works Cited
Bhattacharjee, Y. . Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefit
s-of-bilingualism.html?_
r=0
Sheldon Neilson. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.neilson.co.za/?p=9
Skorton, D. & Altschuler, G. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/collegeprose/2012/08/27/americasforeign-language-deficit
/
Alzheimer's Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://
www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_facts_and_figures.asp
U. S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 5-Year
Estimates Language Other than English Spoken at Home
Retrieved from http://factfinder2.census.gov