Because Nicaraguan Sign Language is only about 35 years old, and still evolving rapidly, the language used by the younger generation is more complex than that used by the older generation. This enables researchers to compare the effects of language ability on other abilities. A recent study found that younger signers (in their 20s) performed better than older signers (in their 30s) on two spatial cognition tasks that involved finding a hidden object. The findings provide more support for the theory that language shapes how we think and perceive.
Reference:
[1629]
(2010). Evidence from an emerging sign language reveals that language supports spatial cognition.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 107(27), 12116 - 12120.