Most of us think of forgetfulness—misplaced keys, lost words, names on the tip of the tongue—as the first warning signs of dementia. And while that’s certainly part of the picture, researchers now say the speed at which you speak might be an even better early clue.
In this study, 125 healthy adults (ages 18 to 90) were asked to describe pictures and then complete language tasks with auditory prompts—some helpful, some deliberately confusing.
Researchers found that participants who spoke more quickly during the first exercise also performed better in the second.
That’s a big deal.
Why? Because it suggests that a general slowdown in processing speed—rather than memory failure itself—might be the earliest indicator that the brain’s communication systems are faltering.
In fact, the research supports something called the processing speed theory. It’s the idea that when the brain begins to slow down, everything else—like memory, fluency, and word retrieval—gets sluggish too.
That’s why scientists are now urging us to look at not just what we say, but how fast we say it.
As we age, it’s common to insert more pauses (“uh” and “um”) or slow down mid-thought. But a noticeable, sustained change in speech tempo may be more than just aging—it may point to subtle changes happening in the brain.
In related research from Stanford, scientists found that longer pauses and slower speech rates were associated with higher levels of tau proteins in the brain—a key hallmark of Alzheimer’s.
Another study used AI to analyze speech patterns and was able to predict Alzheimer’s with nearly 80% accuracy.
All of this paints a compelling picture: how we speak might be one of the earliest, most accessible clues to cognitive health.
So what can you do?
If you notice a loved one speaking more slowly, stumbling more often, or pausing in unfamiliar ways, it might be time to check in with a doctor—or gently bring it up during a routine visit.
And for yourself, don’t panic if you find yourself saying “what’s the word again?” once in a while. That’s normal. But staying mentally sharp with brain games, movement, social connection, and a healthy diet is more important than ever.
You might also consider reading aloud regularly, joining a book club or choir, or keeping a journal—all great ways to maintain verbal fluency and cognitive engagement.
It turns out that our voices might be saying more about our brains than we ever realized.
And the best part? Now that we know, we can do something about it.
To defending your brain,
Rachel Mace
Managing Editorial Director, e-Alert
with contributions from the research team
P.S. Want to boost your brainpower and protect your memory starting today? Dr. Inglis’ Brain Rescue Protocol reveals 37 of his best natural solutions to sharpen recall, reverse age-related memory loss, and lower your risk for Alzheimer’s—without drugs or guesswork.
Sources:
Cassella, C. (2025, July 12). Scientists Identify a Trait in Speech That Foreshadows Cognitive Decline. ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-identify-a-trait-in-speech-that-foreshadows-cognitive-decline
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