Suvarna Alladi1, Thomas H Bak2, Shailaja Mekala2, Amulya Rajan2, Jaydip Ray Chaudhuri2, Eneida Mioshi2, Rajesh Krovvidi2, Bapiraju Surampudi2, Vasanta Duggirala2, Subhash Kaul2. 1. From the Department of Neurology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India (S.A., S.M., A.R., R.K., S.K.); Department of Psychology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (T.H.B.); Department of Neurology, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, India (J.R.C.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.M.); Cognitive Science Laboratory, IIIT, Hyderabad, India (B.S.); and Department of Linguistics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India (V.D.). alladisuvarna@hotmail.com. 2. From the Department of Neurology, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India (S.A., S.M., A.R., R.K., S.K.); Department of Psychology, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences and Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom (T.H.B.); Department of Neurology, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad, India (J.R.C.); Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom (E.M.); Cognitive Science Laboratory, IIIT, Hyderabad, India (B.S.); and Department of Linguistics, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India (V.D.).
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Bilingualism has been associated with slower cognitive aging and a later onset of dementia. In this study, we aimed to determine whether bilingualism also influences cognitive outcome after stroke. METHODS: We examined 608 patients with ischemic stroke from a large stroke registry and studied the role of bilingualism in predicting poststroke cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia. RESULTS: A larger proportion of bilinguals had normal cognition compared with monolinguals (40.5% versus 19.6%; P<0.0001), whereas the reverse was noted in patients with cognitive impairment, including vascular dementia and vascular mild cognitive impairment (monolinguals 77.7% versus bilinguals 49.0%; P<0.0009). There were no differences in the frequency of aphasia (monolinguals 11.8% versus bilinguals 10.5%; P=0.354). Bilingualism was found to be an independent predictor of poststroke cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that bilingualism leads to a better cognitive outcome after stroke, possibly by enhancing cognitive reserve.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Bilingualism has been associated with slower cognitive aging and a later onset of dementia. In this study, we aimed to determine whether bilingualism also influences cognitive outcome after stroke. METHODS: We examined 608 patients with ischemic stroke from a large stroke registry and studied the role of bilingualism in predicting poststroke cognitive impairment in the absence of dementia. RESULTS: A larger proportion of bilinguals had normal cognition compared with monolinguals (40.5% versus 19.6%; P<0.0001), whereas the reverse was noted in patients with cognitive impairment, including vascular dementia and vascular mild cognitive impairment (monolinguals 77.7% versus bilinguals 49.0%; P<0.0009). There were no differences in the frequency of aphasia (monolinguals 11.8% versus bilinguals 10.5%; P=0.354). Bilingualism was found to be an independent predictor of poststroke cognitive impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that bilingualism leads to a better cognitive outcome after stroke, possibly by enhancing cognitive reserve.
Authors: Roza M Umarova; Christoph Sperber; Christoph P Kaller; Charlotte S M Schmidt; Horst Urbach; Stefan Klöppel; Cornelius Weiller; Hans-Otto Karnath Journal: J Neurol Date: 2019-06-28 Impact factor: 4.849
Authors: Ellen Bialystok; Jubin Abutalebi; Thomas H Bak; Deborah M Burke; Judith F Kroll Journal: Ageing Res Rev Date: 2016-03-16 Impact factor: 10.895