Study links multilingualism to slower apparent brain ageing, with earlier and better proficiency boosting effects

Months of language study improve attention, working memory and executive function in older adults, experts say.

Bilingual participants had brains appearing six years younger, while those speaking four languages showed brains that were roughly 13 years younger.

A new study suggests multilingualism may slow brain aging, with bilingual people showing brains that appear about six years younger than monolingual speakers and people who speak four languages showing brains that appear up to 13 years younger. Researchers say earlier language learning and higher proficiency appear to strengthen the effect. The Guardian reports: Our brains are made up of billions of nerve cells that communicate with one another. But as we get older, the connectivity in our brains often deteriorates, causing memory and speed of thought to decline. While previous research had observed that people from European countries with greater language proficiency tended to age more slowly, this study measured the impact of speaking languages on individual brains. Scientists in Spain, Chile, Argentina and Dublin compared people living in the Basque region -- characterized by high levels of multilingualism -- who spoke Spanish, Basque, French and/or English. To measure neurological age, the scientists used magnetoencephalography to measure the brain activity of 728 people with varying ages and levels of linguistic ability. They then used AI to process the results to calculate a normal level of brain connectivity at any given age. A second unrelated group of 144 people were then scanned and compared, comprising equal numbers of people speaking one, two, three or four languages. Dr Lucia Amoruso, from the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastian, said: "In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age. The effect was not only related to the number of languages spoken. Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with more delayed brain ageing. This suggests that multilingual experience matters as a gradient: it is not simply about being bilingual or not, but about the depth and duration of language experience." Read more of this story at Slashdot.

New research suggests we’re never too old to strengthen our brains. Brain-strengthening training was seen to benefit participants into their 90s in a 2026 study, with enthusiasm being a more accurate predictor of success than age.But what counts as a brain-boosting exercise? Some experts think that everything from puzzles to reading fiction can reduce our risk of developing dementia. And now, a study presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) conference in Barcelona has found that the number of languages we speak could affect our brain age, too. Speaking more languages may be linked to a 13-year-younger brain ageThis research used neuroimaging technology to map the brains of 728 participants of differing language levels and ages. Based on this information, they worked out the average brain connectivity by age and calculated a general “brain ageing clock”. Then, they looked at the brain scans of 144 other people with varying levels of multilingualism. Some spoke only one language, while others spoke two, three, or four. The brains of participants who spoke two languages appeared to be ageing six years slower than those of people who only spoke one. That rose to seven years for trilingual people, and a whopping 13 years for individuals who spoke four languages.Dr Lucia Amoruso, who presented the research, said: “In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age. The effect was not only related to the number of languages spoken.“Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with more delayed brain ageing. This suggests that multilingual experience matters as a gradient: it is not simply about being bilingual or not, but about the depth and duration of language experience.” The sooner we start picking up new languages, the better the results seem to be Professor Christina Dalla, who is chair of the FENS communication committee and was not involved in this research, said that the sooner we learn more languages, the better. “We know that many factors can influence our brain health and mental abilities as we age. For example, we know that not smoking, eating well, social and artistic engagement, as well as being active, can help. How we use our brains throughout life can also have an impact, especially if we engage in effortful learning that activates our brain,” she said.“This study suggests that learning a second, third or fourth language could help our brains to stay younger for longer, and the earlier we start, the better. There are many good reasons for learning another language at any age – social, cultural and for the health of your brain – so we should support language learning at school and throughout life, even if it’s hard.”Related...14 Hallmarks Of Ageing That Regular Exercise Can Slow Down3 Common Sleep Habits Have Been Tied To Brain AgeingPeople Born After 1969 Seem To Be Ageing More Quickly

A new study suggests multilingual people have younger brains The post Speaking More Languages May Help Slow Brain Aging appeared first on Nautilus.

New research suggests we’re never too old to strengthen our brains. Brain-strengthening training was seen to benefit participants into their 90s in a 2026 study, with enthusiasm being a more accurate predictor of success than age.But what counts as a brain-boosting exercise? Some experts think that everything from puzzles to reading fiction can reduce our risk of developing dementia. And now, a study presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) conference in Barcelona has found that the number of languages we speak could affect our brain age, too. Speaking more languages may be linked to a 13-year-younger brain ageThis research used neuroimaging technology to map the brains of 728 participants of differing language levels and ages. Based on this information, they worked out the average brain connectivity by age and calculated a general “brain ageing clock”. Then, they looked at the brain scans of 144 other people with varying levels of multilingualism. Some spoke only one language, while others spoke two, three, or four. The brains of participants who spoke two languages appeared to be ageing six years slower than those of people who only spoke one. That rose to seven years for trilingual people, and a whopping 13 years for individuals who spoke four languages.Dr Lucia Amoruso, who presented the research, said: “In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age. The effect was not only related to the number of languages spoken.“Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with more delayed brain ageing. This suggests that multilingual experience matters as a gradient: it is not simply about being bilingual or not, but about the depth and duration of language experience.” The sooner we start picking up new languages, the better the results seem to be Professor Christina Dalla, who is chair of the FENS communication committee and was not involved in this research, said that the sooner we learn more languages, the better. “We know that many factors can influence our brain health and mental abilities as we age. For example, we know that not smoking, eating well, social and artistic engagement, as well as being active, can help. How we use our brains throughout life can also have an impact, especially if we engage in effortful learning that activates our brain,” she said.“This study suggests that learning a second, third or fourth language could help our brains to stay younger for longer, and the earlier we start, the better. There are many good reasons for learning another language at any age – social, cultural and for the health of your brain – so we should support language learning at school and throughout life, even if it’s hard.”Related...14 Hallmarks Of Ageing That Regular Exercise Can Slow Down3 Common Sleep Habits Have Been Tied To Brain AgeingPeople Born After 1969 Seem To Be Ageing More Quickly