Researchers Identify Language Performance as a Key Predictor of Longevity
A major scientific study has uncovered a clear link between language skills in old age and lifespan. After analyzing nearly two decades of cognitive and health data from the Berlin Aging Study, researchers found that the ability to quickly retrieve and use words stood out as the strongest predictor of longevity. While other cognitive abilities like memory and processing speed play important roles in healthy aging, language performance showed the most consistent connection to survival, suggesting it may serve as a valuable marker of both brain health and overall physical resilience in later life.
How a Landmark Study Linked Language Skills to Lifespan
Research Team and Publication
As Neuroscience News reports, the study was led by Paolo Ghisletta from the University of Geneva, in collaboration with international experts in aging and cognitive psychology. Their findings were published in Psychological Science (February 24, 2025), a peer-reviewed journal of the Association for Psychological Science (USA), adding to growing research on the cognitive predictors of aging and longevity.
The research was based on data from the Berlin Aging Study (BASE), a landmark project that began shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. BASE tracked 516 older adults, aged between 70 and 105 years at enrollment, collecting extensive health, social, and cognitive data for up to 18 years until the participants’ deaths.
Methodology and Testing
Researchers examined four cognitive domains in the participants: language performance, perceptual speed, verbal knowledge, and episodic memory. A total of nine cognitive tests were administered across these categories. The primary measure of language performance involved tasks like naming as many animals as possible within 90 secondsβa widely used test of linguistic ability and mental agility (For example, you can try the CogniFit Verbal Fluency Test to assess language skills).
In addition to cognitive testing, researchers considered health, dental status, socio-economic factors, stress levels, and suspected dementia diagnoses. They applied a complex statistical model known as a joint multivariate longitudinal survival model. This advanced approach allowed them to evaluate both the current cognitive abilities and how these abilities changed over time while predicting the participantsβ mortality risk.
Comparison to Previous Research
Earlier studies had established that general intelligence could predict survival, but they rarely identified which specific cognitive abilities were most important. Most focused broadly on IQ or general memory, leaving a gap in understanding the detailed connections between individual mental skills and lifespan.
This study stands out by isolating language performanceβspecifically, the speed and accuracy of word retrievalβas a far more significant indicator of longevity than other cognitive factors like visual processing speed or memory recall.
The innovative aspect of this research lies in its precision. By targeting specific cognitive abilities, the study moves beyond general intelligence measures and pinpoints language performance as a central factor.
The use of the joint multivariate longitudinal survival model was another major advancement. This method accounted for both the level of each cognitive ability and the rate of its decline over time, providing a dynamic view of the aging brain’s impact on survival.
Access to the extensive BASE dataset also strengthened the study, offering a rare opportunity to analyze detailed, long-term data on aging individuals with various health backgrounds.
Key Findings of the Study
1. Language Performance Was the Strongest Predictor of Longevity
Among all cognitive measures, only language performance had a significant link to lifespan. Participants who demonstrated strong word retrieval skills tended to live longer, even when adjusted for other variables.
For example, an 84-year-old able to rapidly list dozens of animals had a statistically higher chance of living longer than a peer struggling with the same task.
2. General Intelligence and Memory Were Less Predictive of Longevity in This Study
Overall intelligence scores and episodic memory recall showed weaker associations with survival compared to language performance. While memory remains essential for daily functioning and healthy aging, it did not emerge as a strong standalone predictor of lifespan in this analysis.
For example, a person with vivid memories of past experiences may still benefit cognitively, but this alone did not correlate with increased survival as clearly as strong language performance did in the study.
3. Perceptual Speed Showed a Weaker Link to Longevity in This Study
Perceptual speedβhow quickly a person processes and interprets visual informationβis an important cognitive skill often linked to problem-solving and mental agility. However, in this study, it showed a weaker connection to longevity compared to language performance.
For instance, an elderly participant who excelled at visual puzzles or pattern recognition may still demonstrate strong cognitive abilities, but these skills alone did not significantly predict a longer lifespan within the scope of this analysis.
4. Language Performance Reflects Broader Cognitive and Physical Health
The study suggests that the ability to access and produce words rapidly is an indicator of overall brain health and systemic well-being. This skill requires coordination across memory, processing speed, and vocabulary storage.
For example, difficulty finding words may signal underlying issues such as neurodegeneration, cardiovascular problems, or general health decline.
5. Cognitive Decline Mirrors Physical Decline in Aging
The research supports the theory that mental and physical declines occur together in old age. Language performance may serve as a marker for this complex interplay, reflecting not just cognitive capacity but emotional and biological health.
An elderly individual slowing down mentally in conversations might also be experiencing subtle physical health issues.
How Language Performance Reflects Overall Cognitive Function and Brain Health
Language performance is not an isolated skill but a complex cognitive task that draws on multiple brain functions working together. Successfully retrieving and producing words under time pressure requires strong connections between memory systems, mental agility, attention control, and executive functioning.
When older adults perform well on language tasks, it signals that several cognitive systems remain robust. These include long-term memory for storing vocabulary, working memory for holding words temporarily, and processing speed for retrieving them quickly. Such tasks also demand mental flexibility and the ability to organize information efficiently while suppressing irrelevant words.
Researchers emphasize that this combination of skills reflects the overall efficiency of the brain. High language performance indicates that neural pathways involved in communication, memory, and decision-making are still functioning wellβfactors crucial for independent living and quality of life in older age.
Additionally, language production is deeply integrated with emotional and social processing. The ability to engage in conversations, tell stories, or explain complex ideas supports social relationships, which are themselves known to contribute to mental and physical health.
By testing language performance, researchers gain a practical snapshot of an individualβs cognitive reserveβthe brain’s resilience to damage or decline. This helps explain why strong language skills correlate so strongly with longevity. A person who maintains this ability well into old age is likely also preserving critical cognitive resources that help navigate daily challenges, make sound decisions, and maintain overall well-being.
Why This Discovery Matters: A New Lens for Science, Healthcare, and Everyday Life
This study doesnβt just add another piece to the complex puzzle of agingβit sharpens the focus on what truly matters for a longer, healthier life. For scientists, the findings offer a concrete target: language performance. Itβs no longer just about testing memory or IQ. Instead, something as simple as how easily someone finds the right words might reveal far more about their overall health and resilience.
For doctors and clinicians, this opens new possibilities. A quick language testβasking patients to name animals or words in a categoryβcould quietly become a powerful early warning system. A drop in performance might flag deeper health problems, prompting further checks long before symptoms show up elsewhere. Itβs efficient, inexpensive, and surprisingly telling.
In classrooms and lifelong learning programs, the message is equally clear: words are not just tools for communication; theyβre fuel for the brain. Reading, writing, debating, and storytelling arenβt luxuries or hobbiesβtheyβre training for longevity. Keeping language skills sharp may be one of the simplest ways to protect the mind against the wear and tear of age.
And for society at large, the takeaway is both practical and hopeful. As populations grow older, investing in ways to keep people mentally engaged isnβt just good for well-beingβit could add years to life. Encouraging conversation, fostering social connections, and creating environments rich in language may prove as vital as exercise and nutrition in the quest for healthy aging.
In the end, this study reframes how we think about the words we use every day. Theyβre more than just conversationβtheyβre a mirror reflecting our inner health and a possible key to a longer life.
Conclusion
This study offers a fresh perspective on the intricate link between cognitive abilities and longevity. By identifying language performance as a reliable predictor of lifespan, researchers highlight the brainβs ability to access and produce words as more than just a communication skillβit becomes a window into overall health.
Strong language skills signal that essential cognitive systems are still functioning well, reflecting mental agility, memory strength, and processing speed. More importantly, this ability may act as an early indicator of broader health status, offering a practical tool for monitoring well-being in aging populations.
For individuals, the findings reinforce the value of staying mentally active and engaged with language-rich activities throughout life. Whether through conversation, reading, or lifelong learning, keeping the mind sharp may contribute not only to better cognitive health but also to living longer.
Ultimately, this research points to a simple but powerful truth: the ease with which we find our words might quietly reveal how well weβre aging.
