How speaking two languages affects memory and brain aging
Official title: The impact of bilingualism on cognitive reserve/resilience using socio-demographically and linguistically diverse populations
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11517212 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether lifelong bilingualism helps protect thinking skills and the brain in people at risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $76,366 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG080469-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11517212 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults who speak Chinese, Spanish, Kannada, or English, including those with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment, or early-stage dementia.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not speak the target languages, are much younger, or have very advanced dementia that prevents testing are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will collect information about the languages I speak, my thinking and memory through tests, brain scans, and blood markers. They will also ask about my social and health background and follow my language use and thinking over time. The team will bring together 2,200 people from California, Texas, and India who speak Chinese, Spanish, Kannada, or English to compare results across diverse groups. The goal is to link language experience with brain changes and dementia risk using clinical, imaging, and molecular data.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could show whether bilingualism builds resilience against dementia and help guide public health advice or future therapies to support brain health.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier, smaller studies have suggested bilingualism can influence cognition and dementia timing but results were mixed, so this larger, multi-site project is designed to clarify those inconsistent findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tee, Boon Lead — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Tee, Boon Lead
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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.