Scientists have discovered that small changes in the way people speak could be an early sign of problems with thinking and memory. A new study shows that it is not just the words people use, but how they speak, that can reveal changes in brain health.
The study involved 125 healthy adults aged 18 to 90. Researchers asked them to describe a scene and also took part in tests where they named pictures while hearing helpful or distracting words. Computers then analyzed their speech, looking at speed, pauses, and hesitations like “um” or “uh.”
The results showed that people who spoke more slowly and paused more often had lower scores on thinking and memory tasks. This suggests that slow speech may signal early changes in the brain, even before serious memory problems appear.
Traditionally, difficulty finding the right word has been seen as an early warning of cognitive problems. But this study shows that just speaking slower, even if words are correct, could be a better early indicator.
Researchers say this discovery is important. Measuring how fast someone talks could help doctors spot brain changes early and provide support before bigger problems develop.
However, scientists warn that slow speech does not always mean someone will get dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. More long-term studies are needed to be sure. Still, slow speech could help identify people at higher risk, so they can be watched more closely.
This research shows that everyday conversation could become an important way to track brain health. By paying attention to small changes in speech, people may get a chance to act early and protect their memory and thinking skills.
