Learning Multiple Languages Can Slow Brain Aging by Up to 13 Years, Study Finds

A new international study reveals that learning additional languages can significantly slow brain aging, preserving brain youthfulness by between six and thirteen years. Researchers from Spain, Chile, Argentina, and Ireland conducted the study among residents of the Basque region in Spain, where many speak multiple languages including Spanish, Basque, French, and English. The team compared participants' chronological age with neurological brain assessments and found that multilingual individuals had brains that appeared younger than their actual age.

The study showed that bilingual individuals had brains appearing six years younger than monolinguals. Those speaking three languages had brains seven years younger, while people fluent in four languages exhibited the greatest benefit, with brains appearing 13 years younger. The researchers also accounted for factors such as age and education in their analysis.

Dr. Lucia Amoruso from the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastian explained to The Guardian that the effect was not solely dependent on the number of languages spoken. Higher proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also linked to delayed brain aging. She emphasized that the depth and duration of multilingual experience are crucial, indicating that it is not just about being bilingual but about the quality and length of language use.