Learning foreign languages may be linked to slower brain aging. In a new study, individuals who speak multiple languages showed signs of having a “younger” brain compared to those who speak only one language. This was reported by the Medical Xpress portal on July 6.
According to researchers, the brains of multilingual individuals appeared 6 to 13 years younger than their expected age. This assessment was not based on subjective measures but on neuroimaging data and analysis of connections between different brain regions.
“People who spoke more languages had brains that looked younger than what would be expected based on their chronological age,” said researcher Lucia Amoruso.
For the study, scientists used brain scans from 728 individuals to create so-called brain aging clocks. This tool estimates brain age by assessing the level of connectivity between various brain areas. The model was then applied to a different group of 144 people, including participants who knew up to four languages.
The results showed a direct correlation: the more languages a person knew, the younger their brain appeared. Knowing two languages was associated with a brain that looked about six years younger, three languages with seven years younger, and four languages with 13 years younger, compared to participants who knew only one language.
Scientists also found that it wasn’t just the fact of knowing multiple languages that mattered. Starting to learn a second language earlier and achieving a high level of proficiency were also linked to a more pronounced slowing of brain aging.
“The effect was not solely related to the number of languages a person speaks. Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with slower brain aging. This suggests that multilingual experience works on a gradient: it’s not simply about being bilingual or not, but about the depth and duration of the language experience,” said Amoruso.
The researchers plan to continue their work and investigate whether language skills could play a role in brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s. For now, the findings point to a correlation rather than a proven protective mechanism, but they hint at the potential role of language practice in maintaining cognitive health.
Professor Christina Dalla of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who reviewed the findings, noted that brain health and mental abilities in older age are influenced by many factors—ranging from lifestyle to social and intellectual activity.
“For example, we know that quitting smoking, healthy eating, social and creative engagement, and physical activity can help. How we use our brain throughout our lives can also matter, especially if we engage in complex learning that activates the brain,” said Dalla.
According to her, the new study suggests that learning a second, third, or fourth language can help keep the brain young for longer, particularly if learning starts earlier. She concluded that the research points to the potential benefits of learning a second, third, or fourth language for preserving brain youthfulness, with earlier learning possibly resulting in stronger effects.
She added that learning foreign languages at any age offers social, cultural, and brain health advantages, so language education should be supported both in schools and throughout life, even if the process demands effort.
On March 9, Medical Xpress reported on methods for brain training and reducing the risk of dementia. According to researchers, various activities and habits such as reading and writing, learning foreign languages, playing chess, solving puzzles, and visiting museums are considered forms of cognitive training that can help preserve mental abilities as we age.
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