Bilingualism as a protective factor and its cognitive benefits in bilingual spanish-english adults 45 and 59 years of age in California and Guatemala
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46780/cunzac.v7i1.121Keywords:
bilingualism, neurodegeneration, delay, dementiaAbstract
PROBLEM: for decades there has been talk about the positive effects that can derive from speaking two or more languages. Recent findings attest that bilingualism positively affects brain development, which helps delay the effects of neurodegenerative diseases by 4 to 6 years. OBJECTIVE: to analyze the neurocognitive mechanisms that support the positive influence of bilingualism on brain health and its protective effect in the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. METHOD: this research is cross-sectional and descriptive with an analytical approach, considering a bibliographic base and a sample of 84 adults. RESULTS: through a questionnaire, the level of acculturation of the participants was measured, results that showed that the inhabitants of Guatemala are less acculturated than residents of California. Californians showed a more dynamic bilingualism. The results of the MoCA were consistent with the literature consulted. Bilingualism affects the physiology of the brain, improving gray matter concentration levels, thus conferring cognitive benefits, thereby delaying the possibility of developing neurodegenerative diseases. CONCLUSION: more than 90% of the participants obtained ≥28 points on the MoCA, showing that bilingualism, like life experience, contributes to cognitive reserve and becomes an ally in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases, delaying their symptoms.
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