Slowed speech could be early sign of Alzheimer's: Study
Talking slower and pausing more often might signal early changes associated with Alzheimer's, according to a new University of Toronto study.
Researchers say these changes in how we speak can signal cognitive decline even before memory problems show up, and suggest adding speech speed checks to routine brain health tests.
What the studies found
The study looked at 125 adults (ages 18-90) doing speech and memory tasks.
Results pointed to overall brain slowdown—not just memory loss—as people spoke more slowly and hesitated more.
Another recent study linked these slower patterns with higher levels of tau proteins in the brain, which are tied to Alzheimer's, even when people's memories still seemed fine.
Why your "ums" and "uhs" matter
Researchers also noticed that using more filler words like "um" or "uh" was connected with cognitive issues.
Other studies have found that people with more amyloid plaques—another sign of Alzheimer's—are more likely to have speech-related problems.
So, subtle shifts in everyday conversation could actually be early warning signs.
Tech is stepping in
AI tools analyzing speech patterns have reached nearly 79% accuracy at spotting early Alzheimer's.
This kind of tech could make screening easier—and help catch the disease sooner than traditional tests, giving people a better shot at managing it early on.