Linguistic Markers of Dementia
September 21, 2021
Dementia refers to a decline in general mental ability to the extent that it impairs daily life. While commonly used interchangeably, Alzheimer’s is actually a specific disease that causes dementia. World Alzheimer’s Day is commemorated on the 21st of September every year. The event brings people together from all over the world to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease, reducing social stigma around the disease and dementia in general.
In 2018, the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Singapore estimated that about 82,000 Singaporeans suffered from the syndrome. This has turned into a cause of concern for Singapore given our lack of awareness surrounding the disease and the country’s rapidly ageing population. In “CHI study: protocol for an observational cohort study on ageing and mental health in community-dwelling older adults” (BMJ Open, 2020), Professor Bao Zhiming (NUS English Language and Literature) and his co-authors point out that Singapore’s increasing ageing population raises an urgent need for a better understanding of mental health and ageing among older Singaporeans.
The article delineates the processes and methods the researchers intend to use to achieve a better understanding of older Singaporeans’ mental health. They aim to recruit 1,000 participants into the three-year cohort study. Participants will then undergo a series of rigorous tests and data collection processes. The resulting database will uncover several key insights. Firstly, a detailed overview of older Singaporeans' health levels will serve as a window into the relationships between the biological, social, and psychological domains that constitute health. Next, the study will identify at-risk groups within our community that could be used for future interventional studies. Lastly, the database could be used to develop better psychological intervention methods, enhancing healthcare outcomes in Singapore.
Healthcare issues grow increasingly salient as individuals age. In Singapore, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are projected to be increasing causes for concern for citizens and policymakers alike as Singapore ages. The study identifies the necessary investigative and data collection processes that will serve as an important milestone in establishing and refining our understanding of early-stage dementia among older Singaporeans.
Funded by a Social Science Research Thematic Grant, Prof Bao’s project 'Linguistic Markers of Dementia' mobilizes expertise from a wide range of disciplines such as linguists and neuropsychologists to investigate speech data collected from elderly Singaporeans. This investigation into the speech patterns of the elderly ultimately aims to uncover language patterns that indicate the onset of early-stage dementia. In the long term, 'Linguistic Markers of Dementia' will identify new ways of detecting dementia among the elderly, improving the quality of elderly care in Singapore’s ageing population.