Department of Linguistics and Languages will host a talk by Dr. John Anderson from York University on March 22, 2017. This is part of the Cognitive Science of Language lecture series of the current academic year. The process of aging involves a decline of executive control, speed of processing, and memory. The neural architecture supporting these constructs similarly decays. Often, senile decline is characterized as unavoidable. If we live long enough, we will live to get dementia. There are, however factors which reduce the rate of dementia occurrence conferring “reserve” for those whose lifestyle choices have afforded them this extra time. Exercise, education, and maintaining strong social connections are some such factors. Being bilingual and managing two languages on a daily basis lifelong is also thought to be a reserve factor. In this talk, Dr. Anderson will explore the neural underpinnings of cognitive reserve in bilinguals relative to monolingual peers using fMRI and DTI.

Title: Imaging the Aging Bilingual Brain
Presenter: Dr. John Anderson
Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2017
Time: 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm
Location: BSB 121, McMaster University