title: Is bilingualism associated with a lower risk of dementia in community-living older adults? Cross-sectional and prospective analyses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether bilingualism is associated with dementia in cross-sectional or prospective analyses of older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 1991, 1616 community-living older adults were assessed and were followed 5 years later. Measures included age, sex, education, subjective memory loss (SML), and the modified Mini-mental State Examination (3MS). Dementia was determined by clinical examination in those who scored below the cut point on the 3MS. Language status was categorized based upon self-report into 3 groups: English as a first language (monolingual English, bilingual English) and English as a Second Language (ESL).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ESL category had lower education, lower 3MS scores, more SML, and were more likely to be diagnosed with cognitive impairment, no dementia at both time 1 and time 2 compared with those speaking English as a first language. There was no association between being bilingual (ESL and bilingual English vs. monolingual) and having dementia at time 1 in bivariate or multivariate analyses. In those who were cognitively intact at time 1, there was no association between being bilingual and having dementia at time 2 in bivariate or multivariate analyses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find any association between speaking >1 language and dementia.
authors.affiliation: *University of Manitoba †Section of Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine ‡Centre on Aging §Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, MB ∥School of Public Health and Health Systems and Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada.
authors.forename: Caleb M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.forename: Philip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: St John
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Menec
authors.forename: Suzanne L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Tyas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D011446:Prospective Studies