Multilingual people may have brains up to 13 years younger

A study presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 suggests that multilingual individuals may have brains that appear up to 13 years younger than their actual age. The research, led by Dr. Lucia Amoruso from the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastián, Spain, focused on people from the Basque region who spoke between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French, and English.

Using magnetoencephalography and artificial intelligence, the team created a "brain aging clock" and applied it to a separate group of 144 people to estimate each person's brain age. The findings revealed that those who spoke two languages had brains six years younger, while those who spoke three languages had brains seven years younger.

People who spoke four languages had brains 13 years younger. The effect was more pronounced among individuals who learned additional languages earlier and achieved higher proficiency. Dr. Amoruso emphasized that the impact of multilingualism on brain aging is not solely based on the number of languages spoken but also on the depth and duration of language experience.

The researchers cautioned that other factors, such as lifestyle and social engagement, could also influence brain health. The study's findings suggest that learning additional languages could potentially support brain resilience, particularly in older individuals or those with neurodegenerative conditions.