Mexican American who use both English, Spanish exhibit better cognitive function

A new collaborative study by researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch and the University of Texas, Austin has revealed significant positive findings on the cognitive benefits of dual-language use among older Mexican Americans.

The study demonstrates that Mexican American adults aged 65 and older who use both English and Spanish more equally exhibit better cognitive function compared to those who predominantly use one language.

"These findings suggest that bilingualism, especially the balanced use of two languages, provides a cognitive advantage in older age," said Dr. Brian Downer, the lead author of the study and Associate Professor at the Department of Population Health & Health Disparities at UTMB.

Downer goes into greater detail in the following video interview.