Multilingualism Linked to Younger Brain Age
Research indicates that learning additional languages could slow brain ageing by as much as 13 years. Individuals who speak more than one language tend to have brains that appear younger, with benefits increasing based on the number of languages spoken and the age at which they are acquired. These findings were presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies conference in Barcelona.
The study revealed that bilingual individuals had brains that looked approximately six years younger compared to monolinguals. Those who spoke three languages exhibited brains appearing around seven years younger, while individuals fluent in four languages showed brain ages about 13 years younger.
Brain Connectivity and Ageing
The human brain consists of billions of nerve cells that communicate through complex networks. As people age, this connectivity often declines, leading to reductions in memory capacity and cognitive processing speed.
Previous observations noted that populations in European countries with higher language proficiency tended to experience slower ageing. This study, however, focused on assessing the impact of multilingualism on individual brain ageing. Researchers from Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Dublin conducted their investigation in the Basque region, an area known for high multilingualism, where residents commonly speak Spanish, Basque, French, and/or English.
Methodology and Measurements
To determine neurological age, the team employed magnetoencephalography (MEG) to record brain activity in 728 participants of varying ages and language abilities. Artificial intelligence algorithms were then used to analyze the data and establish normative brain connectivity levels for different ages. A separate validation group of 144 individuals, evenly divided among monolinguals, bilinguals, trilinguals, and quadrilinguals, was also scanned and compared.
Expert Insights
Dr Lucia Amoruso from the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastián explained the findings:
“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 researchers controlled for variables such as age, sex, and education but acknowledged that other factors like lifestyle and social engagement might also influence brain health.
Prof Christina Dalla, a neuroscientist at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, commented on the implications:
“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.”
However, Eef Hogervorst, professor of biological psychology at Loughborough University, advised caution in interpreting the results. She noted that while multilingualism appears linked to better brain resilience, it is possible that individuals who speak multiple languages also engage in healthier lifestyles or have greater access to protective activities such as reading, lifelong learning, and playing musical instruments.
“It may be the case that people who speak multiple languages also engage in healthier lifestyles and/or have better access to other protective environments and activities, such as reading, lifelong learning and playing musical instruments.”
