Canadian Scientists Show that Speaking Two Languages Protects You from Dementia

 
Biology News Net reports that a Canadian study shows bilingualism has protective effect in delaying onset of dementia by four years. It's total nonsense, of course, ... but what the heck, it makes good press, n'est-ce pas?

I'm embarrassed that so-called scientists at my university are allowing such rubbish to be published in a press release. The clear implication is that there's something about speaking two languages that delays the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's. Correlation is not the same as cause and effect. Repeat after me, a correlation does not necessarily identify a cause.

Update: Here's the original press release from the Baycrest Centre.