This way of speaking may be indicative of a declining brain, scientists say.

A trait of é ;particular speech may foreshadow cognitive decline.

Difficulty finding words, speed of speech, speech tics… In a conversation, there are certain speech traits that are easily detected. However, one of them could be indicative of cognitive decline. If the difficulty While frequent word-finding may be seen as an early sign of Alzheimer's disease, a University of Toronto study suggests that it's another speech trait that's a more accurate and reliable indicator of brain health. Word-finding may actually be a more “normal” part of aging.

For their research, the scientists asked 125 healthy adults of all ages to describe two complex images in detail. This narrative was recorded and analyzed by artificial intelligence software to highlight certain characteristics such as the words used, the speed of speech, the pauses between words…

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This exercise was accompanied by tests on concentration, speed of thinking and ability to perform tasks. The guinea pigs also had to recognize objects in images while hearing a “distractor word” at the same time. The researchers then recorded the reaction time between seeing the image and responding.

By analyzing the results of these tests, the researchers observed a correlation between executive decline and slower speech rate. According to the authors, “cognitive slowing is thought to reduce task performance either through time limitations or through a “failure to keep up”. This study then shows that it is not only what is said that can reveal cognitive changes, but also the speed at which those words are spoken. “It wasn't stopping to find the words that showed the strongest link to brain health, but rather the speed of speech surrounding the pauses,” the researchers analyzed. 

While more research is needed, this finding could help identify people at risk before more significant symptoms occur. This could help identify early warning signs of neurodegenerative diseases, for example. Speech speed should therefore be tested more extensively as part of standard cognitive assessments.