Subtle Changes in the Way You Speak Could Signal Alzheimer’s Disease

Getting an early diagnosis may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Some researchers are exploring whether subtle changes in speech patterns may lead to earlier detection and better management of cognitive decline.

Subtle Changes in Speech Could Indicate Cognitive Decline

Forgetfulness is common with age—many older adults occasionally struggle to recall a word, name, or appointment. But when issues with speech and memory become more frequent or start to interfere with daily life, it could be a sign of cognitive decline.

In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, people may have trouble following conversations, repeat themselves, or struggle to find the right words.

Two recent studies suggest that subtle speech changes may offer early clues to cognitive decline. 

A 2024 study in Alzheimer’s and Dementia found that slowed speech rate and long pauses between words during a memory recall may indicate early development of Alzheimer’s.

Another study, published in the journal Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition, showed that even healthy adults who took longer to speak—not just having trouble remembering certain words—might be showing early signs of cognitive decline.

“As a field of neuropsychology, we are actively looking for ways to detect the earliest signs of Alzheimer’s disease,” Emma Weizenbaum, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who was not involved in either study, told Verywell in an email.

While speech-based testing could someday be part of early diagnostic tools, Weizenbaum emphasized that more research is needed. “We are just at the forefront of understanding the early signs and signals of neurodegenerative disease. As such, this research is exciting, but should be cautiously interpreted without direct clinical translation at this time,” she said.

AI Tools and Communication Strategies May Support Early-Stage Patients

Researchers have started investigating ways to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to monitor Alzheimer’s disease progression.

A recent study used an AI tool to detect speech changes from participants with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The tool was more than 78% accurate at predicting which participants progressed to an Alzheimer’s diagnosis over six years.

“Speech analysis tools need to be used with a holistic approach, so a diagnosis in and of itself isn’t helpful if we don’t know what to do with those diagnostic outcomes,” said Jeanne Gallée, PhD, CCC-SLP, a licensed speech-language pathologist and a postdoctoral fellow at the UW School of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Communication can become difficult in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. If you have a loved one with cognitive decline or dementia, it can help to learn communication strategies. You can try to include the person in conversation, give them extra time to respond to questions, and ask about their preferred communication method.

“Any form of speech and language intervention that works to maintain communication or find compensatory strategies will have a substantial impact on overall quality of life, autonomy, and everyday functioning,” Gallée said.