Canadian researchers have found that certain characteristics of everyday speech may be early signs of cognitive impairment. According to specialists, analyzing speaking patterns could help identify an increased risk of dementia even before pronounced symptoms appear.
Canadian researchers studied the connection between everyday speech characteristics and cognitive changes that may precede the development of dementia. The findings of the study were shared by gerontologist David Meltzer, and the conclusions were reported by The Healthy.
The study involved 76 individuals aged 65 to 75 years, who had no diagnosed neurological or ophthalmological diseases. Participants were asked to describe an image in their own words, after which their speech was analyzed using artificial intelligence algorithms.
The results showed that individuals with slower, less flexible, and less coherent speech subsequently demonstrated poorer performance on cognitive tests.
Among the features that caught the researchers' attention were frequent pauses in conversation, disruptions in speech fluency, slowed formulation of thoughts, as well as the active use of filler words and sounds like "um" or "uh." Additionally, some participants experienced difficulties in finding the right words.
According to Meltzer, dementia often goes unnoticed in the early stages of development, as clear symptoms appear much later. This is why specialists are looking for ways to identify potential risks long before serious memory and thinking impairments arise.
Researchers believe that analyzing speech characteristics could become one of the promising tools for the early diagnosis of cognitive disorders and help doctors timely identify individuals who require closer monitoring.
Experts emphasize that individual speech characteristics alone do not necessarily indicate the development of dementia. However, changes in speech tempo, frequent pauses, and difficulties in word retrieval may serve as reasons to pay closer attention to one’s health and seek medical consultation if necessary.
