Exploring how bilingualism affects cognitive health in Hispanics with language disorders
Official title: Bilingual Factors Associated with Cognitive Reserve and Linguistic Resilience in Hispanics with Primary Progressive Aphasia
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11082935 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how being bilingual might help Hispanic individuals with primary progressive aphasia, a type of dementia that affects language, by exploring how their language skills and experiences can influence their brain's ability to stay strong against decline.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $30,900 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG080470-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11082935 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Hispanic individuals who are bilingual and have been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are monolingual or do not have language-related dementia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between bilingualism and cognitive reserve in Hispanic individuals diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a type of dementia that primarily affects language abilities. The study aims to understand how factors such as language proficiency, use, and age of acquisition influence cognitive resilience in bilingual patients. By examining these aspects, the research seeks to clarify the mixed findings regarding bilingualism's protective effects against Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Participants will be assessed through various cognitive and language evaluations to identify patterns of language decline and resilience.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights into how bilingualism may help protect against cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results regarding the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, but this specific focus on PPA and bilingual factors is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grasso, Stephanie M — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Grasso, Stephanie M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Bilingualism and language resilience in Hispanic people with primary progressive aphasia
Researchers compare different bilingual experiences to see how they relate to language decline and thinking skills in Hispanic adults with primary progressive aphasia.
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Bilingualism and language resilience in Hispanic adults with primary progressive aphasia
This project will learn how different bilingual experiences affect thinking and language skills in Hispanic adults with primary progressive aphasia.
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How bilingualism affects cognitive health in Hispanics with language disorders
This study is looking at how being bilingual might help Hispanic people with primary progressive aphasia, a type of dementia that affects language, by exploring how their language skills and experiences can influence their brain's ability to cope with the condition.
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Communication Bridge: Improving language therapy for people with primary progressive aphasia
A proven language-therapy program called Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia improve and maintain how they communicate with others.
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Communication Bridge helps people with primary progressive aphasia talk more clearly
Aimed at people with primary progressive aphasia, this project tests a speech-language and psychosocial program delivered by telepractice to improve daily communication and quality of life.
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Transcranial current therapy for language in progressive aphasia
A world-class team is testing a painless brain-stimulation method to help people with primary progressive aphasia say more words and names.
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.