Learning four languages may keep the brain young, study finds

A new study suggests that speaking four languages can make the brain appear up to 13 years younger, particularly when individuals acquire new languages early in life. The research, presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum, found that multilingualism can significantly slow down brain aging. According to the findings, people proficient in multiple languages have brains that appear younger than their chronological age, with the effect being most noticeable among those who began learning languages at a younger age and achieved high proficiency.

The study, conducted by researchers from Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Ireland, involved 728 individuals from the Basque region in Spain, where residents speak between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French, and English. Using brain scans and artificial intelligence, the researchers developed a "brain aging clock" and compared participants' actual ages to their estimated brain ages.

The results revealed that bilingual individuals had brains approximately six years younger than those of monolinguals, while those who spoke three languages had brains seven years younger, and those fluent in four languages experienced a brain age 13 years younger. Dr. Lucia Amoruso from the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain, and Language emphasized that high language proficiency and early acquisition of a second language are linked to delayed brain aging, highlighting the role of multilingual experience in supporting brain resilience.

The team plans to investigate the effects of multilingualism on individuals with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and explore whether speaking closely related languages enhances this protective effect.