07 May , 19:15
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Fast speech and longevity: scientists have discovered an unexpected connection between verbal fluency and life expectancy. Researchers from the Association of Psychological Sciences at the University of Geneva concluded that people who easily formulate thoughts have a better chance of a long life, reports Liter.kz.
The large-scale study is based on data from the Berlin Aging Study (BASE), during which specialists observed 516 elderly people aged 70 to 105 over the course of 18 years.
Scientists evaluated four cognitive indicators:
Verbal fluency - participants were asked to name as many animals as possible in 90 seconds;
Perceptual speed - the ability to quickly process visual information;
Verbal knowledge - vocabulary size;
Episodic memory - the ability to remember personal events.
Using a complex statistical model, researchers analyzed the impact of changes in these cognitive indicators on the risk of death. The analysis took into account various factors: health status, stress level, socioeconomic status, and the presence of signs of dementia.
Surprising result: only verbal fluency was statistically associated with life expectancy. Participants who demonstrated high word selection speed lived longer. For example, an 84-year-old man capable of naming dozens of animals in a minute had significantly better chances of a long life compared to a peer who had difficulties with this task.
Scientists note that successful completion of language tasks indicates the preservation of several cognitive systems at once - long-term and working memory, as well as information processing speed.
- Speech is not just a means of communication, but an important cognitive marker of health status. When an elderly person freely operates with words, it indicates a good level of memory, attention, and thinking. Maintaining language activity is a simple but effective way to extend intellectual longevity, - commented Professor Sagat Altynbekov, a narcologist, on the results of the study.
Source: liter.kz
