Effects of foreign language learning on cognition in healthy older adults - SpeAK study

etzwerk Alternsforschung der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg0 sites34 target enrollmentFebruary 11, 2019

ConditionsCognition

Overview

Phase: Phase 3
Intervention: Not specified
Conditions: Cognition
Sponsor: etzwerk Alternsforschung der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
Enrollment: 34
Status: Completed
Last Updated: last year

Overview Investigators Eligibility Criteria Outcomes Similar Trials

Overview

Brief Summary

Foreign language learning did not significantly improve primary or secondary outcomes, neither immediately nor 3 months after the language course. However, moderation analyses revealed that participants with lower global baseline cognition tended to improve more on response inhibition than individuals with higher baseline cognition. This relationship was not evident in the waiting list control group.

Registry

who.int

Start Date

February 11, 2019

End Date

July 31, 2020

Last Updated

last year

Study Type

Interventional

Sex

All

Investigators

Sponsor

etzwerk Alternsforschung der Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

•German mother tongue
•\- Monolingual (no fluency and more than occasional use of any other language according to self\-disclosure; Additional information: Evaluation of monolingualism according to LSBQ score \[Bialystok et al., 2018])
•\- Living independently
•\- No full\-time employment (secondary employment of a maximum of 50% permitted)
•\- To be motivated to effectively participate in the study and to sign the consent form in agreement with the local ethic committee

Exclusion Criteria

•\- A1 or higher level of Spanish according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
•\- Good or better knowledge of Romanic languages (Italian, French, Latin, Portuguese) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
•\- Below\-average cognitive performance according to age (CFD S1 from Schuhfried GmbH: No subtest z \= \-1\.5 \[PR \= 6])
•\- Impaired or uncorrected vision
•\- Colour blindness
•\- Impaired hearing
•\- Self\-reported current or previous neurological disease including stroke, mild cognitive impairment, dementia, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, encephalitis)
•\- Self\-reported current or previous mental disorder including anxiety disorder, depression, schizophrenia, alcohol or substance dependence
•\- Loss of consciousness for more than five minutes
•\- Current musical activity for more than five hours per week