Strategies to preserve cognitive abilities in the eldery: the role of learning a foreign language

Authors

  • Gabriela Quatrin Marzari Centro Universitário Franciscano
  • Camila Gonçalves dos Santos Universidade Federal de Pelotas
  • Márcia Cristina Zimmer Universidade Católica de Pelotas

Keywords:

brain plasticity, bilingualism, elderly

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the main actions taken by elderly people to contribute for the enhancement of brain plasticity in these individuals, focusing on bilingualism and on the process of learning an additional language. In order to do that, we have researched about the development of brain plasticity in the elderly, focusing on the learning of a second language at this age. In addition, we have carried out a field research, where we applied a questionnaire to five subjects asking them about activities that they do that may contribute to their cognitive preservation. Data analysis has shown that, although there is not an evident concern about memory preservation for the majority of the participants of this study, the elderly have carried out activities that, in some way, contribute to memory preservation, such as the practice of reading and physical exercises

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Author Biographies

Gabriela Quatrin Marzari, Centro Universitário Franciscano

Aluna e pesquisadora do Programa de Pós-graduação em Letras da Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel/RS). Mestre em Linguística Aplicada pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM/RS). Professora do Curso de Letras: Português e Inglês do Centro Universitário Franciscano (UNIFRA/RS).

Camila Gonçalves dos Santos, Universidade Federal de Pelotas

Aluna e pesquisadora do Programa de Pós-graduação em Letras da Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel/RS). Mestre em Letras pela Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel/RS). Professora no Centro de Educação a Distância da Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel/RS).

Márcia Cristina Zimmer, Universidade Católica de Pelotas

Professora e pesquisadora do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Letras na Universidade Católica de Pelotas (UCPel/RS). Mestrado e Doutorado em Linguística e Letras pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS/RS).

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Published

2013-03-30

How to Cite

Marzari, G. Q., Santos, C. G. dos, & Zimmer, M. C. (2013). Strategies to preserve cognitive abilities in the eldery: the role of learning a foreign language. Letrônica, 5(3), 103–124. Retrieved from https://revistaseletronicas.pucrs.br/letronica/article/view/12221

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2012): Linguagem e Cognição & A Criação Literária em Processo

Section

Linguistics

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