Proportion of life spent in the United States and cognitive functioning in Spanish-speaking migrants: Findings from the Boston Latino Aging Study.

Abstract

Latino migrants are at increased risk for cognitive decline, yet the influence of immigration-related factors, such as time lived in the United States (U.S.), remains poorly understood. In the Boston Latino Aging Study (BLAST), 130 older Latino migrants completed a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. We examined whether the proportion of years lived in the U.S. was associated with cognitive performance, adjusting for age, education, and acculturation. Greater time in the U.S was significantly associated with lower phonemic fluency, while no associations were found for other domains. Notably, 16 % of phonemic fluency errors involved English intrusions during a Spanish-language task, suggesting cross-linguistic interference. These findings underscore the importance of considering language dynamics and sociocultural context in studies of Latino cognitive aging.