Thinking and language in older Deaf adults who use ASL
Assessment of Language and Cognition in Older Deaf Signers
This project creates tests to find whether American Sign Language or written English best reveals memory and thinking problems in Deaf adults aged 65 and older who use both languages.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10999304 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a Deaf adult 65+ who uses ASL and written English, researchers will develop and adapt tests of language skills, list memory, and attention/executive function that can be given in ASL or English. They will first test a group of healthy Deaf older adults to understand how language choice affects performance. Then they will test a small group of Deaf older adults with probable Alzheimer's disease to see which language shows the clearest differences from controls. The project will also consider early-life language access and how language deprivation might change the way dementia appears in Deaf signers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Deaf adults aged 65 or older who use American Sign Language and written English, including those worried about memory or thinking problems, are the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People who are hearing, who do not use ASL, who are under 65, or whose cognitive problems stem from non-Alzheimer’s causes may not directly benefit from these specific tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help clinicians diagnose Alzheimer’s disease more accurately in Deaf seniors and reduce incorrect diagnoses caused by testing in the less appropriate language.
How similar studies have performed: Research in spoken-language bilinguals shows testing in the dominant language improves sensitivity for Alzheimer’s, but few prior studies have tested this question in older Deaf ASL–English bilinguals, so this work is relatively new for this population.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gollan, Tamar — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Gollan, Tamar
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 below.