Research Proposal Summary

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 1

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RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 2

Research Proposal Summary

How often would using a second language could result in the reduction of cognitive decline

and dementia in adults? Would learning by print or audible make a difference? What are

the factors?

Introduction

Most of the adulthood challenges include dementia and cognitive decline, which are

associated with old age. Studies have focused on learning of foreign languages as a form of

cognitive therapy that adequately addresses the essences of dementia and cognitive decline.

Therefore, as posited in most of the research works, learning the second language at old age

reduces the instances of dementia, hence the need to use the concept amongst the adults.

Scholars such as Cheng et al. (2015) have also identified that studying the second language

reduces the rate of brain aging, which is essential for the understanding of the necessity of this

topic. Improved healthcare means that the life expectancy of humans is increasing globally,

which calls for the need to control the age-related challenges. Some of the challenges that adults

face includes loss of memory, declining cognitive development, and dementia, which can be

controlled scientifically through training on second language.

According to neuroscientists, speaking two languages in adulthood reduces the possibility

of brain aging and this result into improved mental health. Furthermore, Cheng et al. (2015)

affirmit reduces the essence of inset of dementia amongst the adults of advanced age, hence the

call for individuals to be bilingual. Studies have further indicated that those who are bilingual

have positive effect in cognition when they grow older, with sustained reduction in cognitive

decline and brain aging. Therefore, the main concept is on the ability of learning or training on

the second language to improve cognition or whether it is the cognition process that benefits

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 3

from learning of the second language at a later stage in life. Therefore, it is evident that learning

the second language is a non-therapeutic approach that improves the cognitive progress and

reduces dementia and cognitive decline.

The Problem Statement

Old age comes with several challenges that require improved care, including a decline in

cognitive ability to reduce the old-age related issues such as aging brain and reduced cognitive

decline. This is mainly happening in the seventies, especially with the research positing that

being bilingual is essential for the people to improve their cognitive health. Furthermore,

intelligence and verbal fluency in the foreign language is understood by scientist to enhance

through the bilingual concept amongst the elderly persons. It is necessary that the old persons,

preferably those above the age of 70, are exposed to the learning process that results in the

acquisition of the second language. Ware et al. (2017) understood that learning of such languages

as Spanish, French, and German is ideal for the cognition and the general health amongst the

elderly persons. There is increasing cases of cognitive decline and prevalence of dementia

amongst the elderly persons, which call for interventions that would reduce the risks in the long

run. Furthermore, there is need to critically assess the possibility that bilingualism, especially at

an advanced age, can delay the possible dementia onset for many years.

The Rationale for the Research

The study seeks to underscore the importance of bilingualism amongst the elderly adults

through the processes that result in reduced cognitive decline and dementia. This is informed by

the increased cases of cognitive-related challenges amongst the elderly persons, as well as

dementia infections, which are on the rise. Therefore, the outcomes of the importance of

bilingualism will be ideal for the general population as it would result into in understanding why

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 4

the society, medical institutions, and therapists should focus on improving the learning outcomes

for elderly persons through bilingualism. Learning of foreign language would develop the

reasoning and reduces the brain decline concerning activity and essential outcomes. According to

Abutalebi et al. (2015), exposing the elderly persons to a learning process of understanding

second language has positive impacts based on the impact on cognition and activeness of the

brain. It is important for the elderly persons across the world. The information is vital for the

governments, therapists, educators, and the general community on the social welfare of the

elderly persons. The benefits are that the cases of dementia will reduce, as the older persons will

be exposed to the learning of the second language as a positive outcome to overcome the

advantages to their general health.

Statement of the Research Objectives

The primary objectives and purposes of this study include determining the impacts of

learning the second language on the cognitive health of the elderly persons concerning reduction

in dementia and cognitive decline. Furthermore, the study seeks to understand how the

bilingualism is vital in the old age based on the scientific assessment of active minds versus

those that are not actively engaged in the learning of the second language. Ware et al. (2017)

assert that learning second language is important of the health of the brain and the cognition

process, which also delays the onset years for dementia. This includes the scientific

understanding and explanation of the concepts that reduce the cognitive decline and onset of

dementia. Therefore, these objectives and purposes are achievable through the critical

assessment of the research itself to understand the relationship between learning of second

language and reduction of cognitive decline amongst the elderly persons.

Hypothesis

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 5

In this study, it is expected that learning of the second language for the adult will reduce

the onset years of dementia as well as lowering the cognitive decline. This is because

scientifically, the brain will be kept active and able to achieve the required outcomes that result

in possible objectives such as reduction of the impacts of dementia and reducing the cognitive

aging. Grant, Dennis, & Li’s (2014) article enumerates the scientifically backed evidences of the

role of bilingualism with more importance to cognition, including improved cognition reserve,

control, and even what it means to age in bilingual brain. Therefore, it is hypothesized that when

the elders are subjected to scientifically modified procedures and the process of learning a new

language, they are likely to achieve the ultimate results that are important to improving their

cognitive health and avoid the aging of the brain.

Definition of Terms

Some of the keywords used in the research include dementia, second language, cognition,

cognitive decline, cognitive aging, and elderly persons. These terms are used throughout the text

to underscore their importance in communicating the meaning of the research to the target

audience and to make the study understandable and applicable to human scenarios. For instance,

Abutalebi et al. (2015) researched on how bilingualism also improves neural reserve for the

ageing population across the world. Furthermore, cognition includes all the brain and mental-

related processes that define the stability of the persons in sensitization and reasoning. On the

other hand, the second language is indeed an internationally recognized language whose impact

on communication is essential. Therefore, it is important that the research mentions these words

throughout as they add up to the values and clarity of the different concepts of the analysis.

Summary

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 6

There are different ways through which learning of the second language by the elderly

persons would improve the performance of their brains to achieve the desire to reduce the

cognitive decline and the onset of dementia years. Foreign language training has scientifically

been backed for its role in keeping the minds of the older adult awake and active, which reduces

the onset of dementia and decline in cognitive ability. Therefore, there is the essence of

decreasing chances of aging brain in the long run. This study seeks to understand the factors that

should be considered to ensure that the process of training the second language as therapy for

cognitive decline is achieved.

RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUMMARY 7

References

Abutalebi, J., Guidi, L., Borsa, V., Canini, M., Della Rosa, P. A., Parris, B. A., & Weekes, B. S.

(2015). Bilingualism provides a neural reserve for aging

populations. Neuropsychologia, 69, 201-210. Retrieved from

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/a25e/50169de16ccfddcb977b3afdd2574de72168.pdf

Cheng, K., Deng, Y., Li, M., & Yan, H. M. (2015). The impact of L2 learning on cognitive

aging. ADMET and DMPK, 3(3), 260-273. Retrieved from

file:///C:/Users/HOME/Downloads/206_1007_1_ED_Cheng%20(1).pdf

Grant, A., Dennis, N. A., & Li, P. (2014). Cognitive control, cognitive reserve, and memory in

the aging bilingual brain. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1401. Retrieved from

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01401/full

Ware, C., Damnee, S., Djabelkhir, L., Cristancho, V., Wu, Y. H., Benovici, J., ... & Rigaud, A. S.

(2017). Maintaining cognitive functioning in healthy seniors with a technology-based

foreign language program: a pilot feasibility study. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 9,

42. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00042/full

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