J. (Jelle) Brouwer

In my PhD project we will examine the effects of foreign language learning on late-life depression. Seniors with this diagnosis often experience reduced cognitive flexibility; a skill that is trained and strengthened when learning and speaking a foreign language. In order to measure the difference between baseline and post-test (or follow-up) conditions, multiple experimental paradigms are employed. These include eye-tracking methods, tests that measure a participant's wellbeing, and behavioral paradigms that test executive functioning. In addition to the language learning condition, two other groups of neurotypical seniors will receive musical training or a course training them in creative skills. This way the effects of language can be isolated.

This project is part of Prof. dr. Keijzer's NWO Vidi project Language Learning Never Gets Old: Foreign language learning as a tool to promote healthy aging (016.Vidi.185.190).