Brain health in focus: a blood test for abuse survivors and the benefits of language learning for the aging brain
Researchers are developing a blood test that could provide objective proof of brain injury in survivors of intimate partner violence, while separate research suggests learning a new language may help preserve cognitive function in older age.
A blood test that could help survivors of partner violence
Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada are working on a blood test designed to objectively detect brain injuries in survivors of intimate partner violence. According to The Globe and Mail, the ASCEND-IPV research initiative analyzed blood samples from 177 survivors, searching for brain-related proteins that leak into the bloodstream after brain damage. Professor Cheryl Wellington notes that these proteins are present in extremely tiny amounts, making detection technically difficult, though her UBC team runs Canada's largest program dedicated to identifying such biomarkers. The study found that roughly eight out of ten women examined likely had some form of brain injury linked to the abuse.
Canada currently has no standardized screening protocol in emergency rooms, primary care clinics or transition houses to document brain injury when intimate partner violence is reported. As a result, many survivors — like Victoria resident Kristen Sandborn, whose story is featured in the report — avoid seeking medical or police help, fearing a diagnosis could be used against them in child-custody disputes. Statistics Canada recorded 128,175 victims of intimate partner violence in 2024, or 356 victims per 100,000 people aged 12 and older, though the real number is believed to be higher due to underreporting. Researchers hope the new test could eventually serve as objective evidence in court, comparable to DNA evidence or an X-ray of a broken bone.
Learning a language as a workout for the aging brain
Separately, The Conversation highlights that learning a new language is among the most complex mental activities a person can undertake, requiring the brain to remember vocabulary, recognize unfamiliar sounds and grammar patterns, and retrieve the right words in real time. Research has linked bilingualism to differences in the brain's gray and white matter, and some studies have found that bilingual people who develop dementia show symptoms later in life than those who speak only one language. This suggests language skills may strengthen what researchers call cognitive reserve — the brain's ability to keep functioning despite age-related changes — although it does not guarantee protection against dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
According to the article, adults who start learning a language later in life can still benefit: what matters most may not be achieving fluency, but the sustained process of learning itself, which keeps the brain engaged and adapting.
