Lost For Words: Cognitive Ageing And Language Control In Bilingual Older Adults With And Without Cognitive Impairment

失语：有或没有认知障碍的双语老年人的认知衰老和语言控制

• 批准号: EP/Y036522/1
• 负责人: Angela De Bruin
• 金额: $ 157.72万
• 依托单位: University of York
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY036522%2F1
• 关键词: Lost; Words; Cognitive; Ageing; Language

Language is crucial for communication but becomes more challenging with age. With over 20% of Europeans aged over 65 years, we need to understand the impact of age on language. Despite over half of the world being bilingual, research has focused on monolinguals. Bilinguals do not just use a target language but also need to manage between-language competition, avoid nontarget language interference, and switch languages. To do this, they apply language control. Lapses in control (e.g., using a language not understood by the other person) can greatly hinder communication.MultiAge examines how bilingual language control changes with healthy ageing and cognitive impairment, asking four questions:1. How do behavioural and neural language-control mechanisms change with age across language contexts?2. How do real-life language experiences change with age and interact with control?3. How does communicating with a conversation partner influence language during ageing?4. How does cognitive impairment influence bilingual control?MultiAge will build new theoretical frameworks on language control, healthy ageing, and cognitive impairment. It systematically compares different bilingual-control components across contexts varying in their control demands. It examines whether similar mechanisms are used for between-language, within-language, and semantic control. In addition to age-group comparisons, we assess changes in later life longitudinally by combining behavioural, neuroimaging (fNIRS) research, and focus groups. While most research focuses on word production in isolation, MultiAge examines daily-life experiences and interactions with other bilinguals. Working with overlooked bilingual groups ensures new theories move beyond English-monolingual speakers. Finally, comparing healthy ageing and cognitive impairment has potential to identify novel tools to detect cognitive impairment.

语言对于沟通至关重要，但随着年龄的增长变得更具挑战性。超过 20% 的欧洲人年龄超过 65 岁，我们需要了解年龄对语言的影响。尽管世界上一半以上的人使用双语，但研究仍集中在单语者身上。双语者不仅仅使用目标语言，还需要管理语言之间的竞争、避免非目标语言干扰以及切换语言。为此，他们应用语言控制。控制失误（例如，使用对方无法理解的语言）会极大地阻碍沟通。MultiAge 研究双语语言控制如何随着健康老龄化和认知障碍而变化，提出四个问题：1。行为和神经语言控制机制如何随着年龄在不同语言环境中发生变化？2.现实生活中的语言体验如何随年龄变化并与控制相互作用？3．与对话伙伴的交流如何影响衰老过程中的语言？4。认知障碍如何影响双语控制？MultiAge 将构建语言控制、健康老龄化和认知障碍的新理论框架。它系统地比较了控制需求不同的环境中的不同双语控制组件。它检查类似的机制是否用于语言间、语言内和语义控制。除了年龄组比较之外，我们还通过结合行为、神经影像 (fNIRS) 研究和焦点小组来纵向评估晚年生活的变化。虽然大多数研究都集中在孤立的文字生成上，但 MultiAge 则研究日常生活经历以及与其他双语者的互动。与被忽视的双语群体合作可确保新理论超越英语单语使用者的范围。最后，比较健康衰老和认知障碍有可能找到检测认知障碍的新工具。