Investigating how bilingualism affects Alzheimer's disease in Tagalog/English speakers
Official title: Word fluency task performance as a marker of Alzheimer’s disease in Tagalog/English bilingual speaker
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11223964 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how speaking two languages might help protect your brain from problems like Alzheimer's disease, and it's for people who speak either Tagalog or English, as well as those who only speak one language.
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 | April 15, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $25,525 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AG080396-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11223964 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are bilingual individuals who speak Tagalog and English and are at risk for or diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are monolingual or do not speak Tagalog or English may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the potential protective effects of bilingualism on cognitive decline and brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). By examining both Tagalog and English speakers, the study aims to understand how managing multiple languages may enhance executive functioning and contribute to resilience against cognitive impairment. The researchers will analyze a cohort of bilingual and monolingual individuals to assess the relationship between bilingualism, neuropathology, and cognitive health. The findings could provide insights into how language skills influence brain health in aging populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for preventing or delaying cognitive decline in bilingual individuals.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown mixed results regarding the cognitive benefits of bilingualism, indicating that this area is still being explored and holds potential for new insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Deleon, Jessica Anne — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Deleon, Jessica Anne
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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.