New Study Links Speech Patterns to Cognitive Decline Risks

A recent study from a collaborative team at Baycrest Hospital, the University of Toronto, and York University suggests that natural speech patterns may serve as early indicators of cognitive decline, including potential signs of dementia. Published on March 15, 2023, the research highlights how factors such as long pauses, an overreliance on filler words, and difficulties in word retrieval can reflect deteriorating brain health in aging adults.

The study’s senior author, Jed Meltzer, expressed that his interest in the connection between speech changes and cognitive decline inspired the research. He explained, “Changes in a person’s speech can reveal when they are experiencing a decline in brain health.” The research involved two cognitive assessment experiments conducted in 2019 and 2023, focusing on the executive function and speech characteristics of participants. The first experiment included 67 healthy adults aged 65 to 75, while the second expanded to 174 healthy adults ranging from 18 to 90 years old.

During the assessments, researchers administered standard mental ability tests, which included colour-word interference tasks. Participants also described complex images depicting everyday life scenarios in their own words. Meltzer noted, “We analyzed the speech samples with a very powerful computer algorithm to see if we could find aspects of their speech that predicted their mental abilities.”

The speech analysis utilized a specialized algorithm developed by Winterlight Labs, a Toronto-based technology company. According to Winterlight, their technology can “quickly and accurately detect signs of cognitive impairment from a sample of speech,” evaluating factors such as sentence complexity, repetitive words, and the use of rare vocabulary. The study claims to be among the first to demonstrate a direct link between natural speech patterns and essential cognitive function.

The findings indicate that participants experienced the most difficulty with timing-related aspects of speech, such as excessive pauses and reliance on filler words like “um” and “ah”. Meltzer pointed out that while frequent filler words are not necessarily indicative of cognitive decline, their increased use over time could warrant attention. He stated, “If you do it more than you did five years ago, maybe you want to take a look at your cardiovascular health.”

While Meltzer cautioned that the research team’s tests are not definitive diagnostic tools for cognitive decline, they may serve as early detection measures. He emphasized that tracking changes over time could help healthcare professionals identify slow declines in brain health. “If you test someone once, they may have dementia, or they may not … but you can’t definitively diagnose someone from one examination,” he explained.

For more accurate assessments, Meltzer suggested retesting individuals after a year, as significant declines would be evident in the comparative results. This approach could potentially aid in evaluating the effectiveness of dementia treatments and medications.

The study also highlighted various modifiable risk factors that may delay the onset of cognitive disorders like dementia. Meltzer underscored the importance of reducing isolation and loneliness, as well as increasing physical activity. He stated, “The single best thing you can do is go on a walk with your friend.” Other protective factors include bilingualism and higher education, which, while not preventing brain damage, can enhance resilience against it.

Despite these findings, Meltzer acknowledged that age and genetics remain non-modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline. As research continues to evolve, the insights from this study may pave the way for new methods of assessing and mitigating cognitive health risks in aging populations.