Study: Learning a Second Language May Delay Brain Ageing by Up to 13 Years

Study: Learning a Second Language May Delay Brain Ageing by Up to 13 Years
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A new study suggests that learning additional languages may delay brain ageing by up to 13 years.

The findings, presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies conference in Barcelona, indicate that people who speak more than one language tend to have younger-looking brains. The effect appears stronger among those who know more languages and began learning them at a younger age.

Researchers found that bilingual people had brains that appeared about six years younger than those who spoke only one language. People who spoke three languages showed a brain-age delay of around seven years, while those fluent in four languages showed a delay of up to 13 years.

Scientists from Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Dublin studied participants in the multilingual Basque region, where many people speak Spanish, Basque, French, and/or English. They used magnetoencephalography to measure brain activity in 728 people, then applied artificial intelligence to estimate brain connectivity by age. A separate group of 144 participants was later tested for comparison.

Dr. Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language said people who speak more languages tend to have brains that appear younger than their actual age.

The study also found that higher language proficiency and early exposure to a second language were linked to greater protection against brain ageing. However, researchers noted that other factors, including lifestyle and social interaction, may also influence brain health.