Bilingualism and brain resilience in older Hispanic adults with mild memory loss
Official title: Prospective study of bilingualism and cognitive reserve in the aging brain of Hispano adults with MCI
Funded at Florida Atlantic University · NIH-11285223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether speaking both Spanish and English helps protect thinking skills in older Hispanic adults with mild memory problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida Atlantic University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boca Raton, United States) |
| Project start | February 15, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $667,899 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG080468-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Hispanic adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment who are Spanish/English bilingual or Spanish monolingual and can complete cognitive testing and brain imaging at study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People without memory problems, non-Hispanic individuals, or those unable to undergo MRI or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would be followed over time to see how your language history and use relate to memory and thinking changes. Researchers will collect detailed information about bilingualism, social and cultural background, and other lifestyle factors. Participants will also have multimodal brain imaging and cognitive testing at multiple visits. The work builds on the 1Florida ADRC cohort and aims to include both Spanish/English bilinguals and Spanish monolingual Hispanic adults with amnestic MCI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could show whether bilingualism helps delay memory decline and inform ways to protect thinking skills in people with MCI.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have suggested bilingualism may protect thinking skills but results are mixed, so this larger longitudinal study with imaging takes a more rigorous and relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rosselli, Monica — Florida Atlantic University
- Study coordinator: Rosselli, Monica
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.