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Bilingualism for delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

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Key summary points

AbstractSection Aim

To assess the effects of bilingualism compared to monolingualism on the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s Disease.

AbstractSection Findings

Data from meta-analyses suggest that bilingual individuals exhibit Alzheimer’s Disease symptoms are diagnosed later than monolingual participants.

AbstractSection Message

Bilingualism may delay the manifestation of symptoms and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Abstract

Objective

To assess the effects of bilingualism compared to monolingualism on the clinical manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease.

Methods

We searched the databases: MEDLINE, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase and LILACS, and searched by hand and in gray literature for studies published before September 2019. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. Two reviewers independently searched for studies, extracted data, and performed the quality assessment.

Results

Eight studies were included in this review. Data from meta-analyses suggest that bilingual individuals with Alzheimer's disease exhibit symptoms (694 participants; mean difference (MD) (4.05 years; 95% CI: 1.87–6.22 and are diagnosed later (1012 participants; MD 2.0 years; 95% CI: 0.08–3.92) than monolingual participants.

Conclusion

Bilingualism may delay the manifestation of symptoms and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Further studies with more rigorous methodology are needed to improve the precision of the results.

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Funding

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior‐Brasil (CAPES)-Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Evidence-Based Medicine, Brazilian Cochrane Centre, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Napoleão de Barros 865, Vila Clementino, São Paulo, SP, 04024-002, Brazil

    Andrea M. Paulavicius, Carolina C. Mizzaci, Daniela R. B. Tavares, Aline P. Rocha, Vinicius T. Civile & Ana Carolina Pereira Nunes Pinto

  2. Dante Pazzanese Institute of Cardiology, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Carolina C. Mizzaci

  3. Department of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Daniela R. B. Tavares

  4. Paulista University (UNIP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Vinicius T. Civile

  5. Department of Neurology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Rodrigo R. Schultz

  6. Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapa (UNIFAP), Macapá, AP, Brazil

    Ana Carolina Pereira Nunes Pinto

  7. Brazilian Society of Rheumatology, Discipline of Rheumatology, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Virginia F. M. Trevisani

  8. Santo Amaro University (UNISA), São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Virginia F. M. Trevisani

Authors
  1. Andrea M. Paulavicius
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  2. Carolina C. Mizzaci
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  3. Daniela R. B. Tavares
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  4. Aline P. Rocha
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  5. Vinicius T. Civile
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  6. Rodrigo R. Schultz
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  7. Ana Carolina Pereira Nunes Pinto
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  8. Virginia F. M. Trevisani
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ana Carolina Pereira Nunes Pinto.

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Conflict of interest

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

The protocol for this systematic review was first published on May 5th 2017 on CEP/ UNIFESP (Federal University of Sao Paulo) platform under the number 5207180317.

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Informed consent not applicable.

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Paulavicius, A.M., Mizzaci, C.C., Tavares, D.R.B. et al. Bilingualism for delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Geriatr Med 11, 651–658 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-020-00326-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-020-00326-x

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