Your “um” and pauses could reveal early dementia risk
The way people speak during ordinary conversations could offer valuable insight into brain health, according to new research from Baycrest, the University of Toronto, and York University. Scientists found that subtle speech characteristics, including pauses, filler words such as ('uh,' 'um'), and difficulty retrieving words, are closely connected to executive function, the group of mental abilities involved in memory, planning, attention, and flexible thinking.
The findings provide some of the strongest evidence so far linking natural speech patterns with key cognitive abilities. The work also expands on earlier research showing that older adults who speak more quickly tend to maintain stronger thinking skills over time (Wei et al., 2024).
"The message is clear: speech timing is more than just a matter of style, it's a sensitive indicator of brain health," says Dr. Jed Meltzer, Senior Scientist at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute and senior author on this study, titled "Natural Speech...
Copyright of this story solely belongs to sciencedaily.com. To see the full text click HERE
