Speaking multiple languages may help protect the brain from some effects of aging, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026.
The brain depends on billions of nerve cells that constantly communicate with one another. As people grow older, these connections can weaken, potentially affecting memory, thinking, and other cognitive abilities.
New research suggests that multilingualism may help slow some age-related changes in the brain. People who spoke more languages tended to have younger-appearing brains than expected for their chronological age. The effect was even stronger among those who learned additional languages earlier and achieved greater proficiency.
How multilingualism may slow brain aging
The study was presented by Dr. Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Center for Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastian, Spain. She worked with researchers from the Latin American Brain Health Institute at Adolfo Ibáñez University in Chile, the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of San Andrés in Argentina, and the World Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland.
The researchers previously published findings suggesting that people living in countries where multilingualism is common may experience slower brain aging. Their latest study examined residents of Spain’s Basque region, where people speak between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French, and English.
To measure brain aging, the researchers first studied 728 people and developed a “brain aging clock.” They used magnetoencephalography, a technique that detects the weak magnetic fields generated when brain cells are active.
The researchers then used artificial intelligence to analyze brain activity patterns in people of different ages. This enabled them to estimate how brain connections typically change throughout adulthood.
They applied the brain aging clock to a separate group of 144 people to estimate each participant’s “brain age.”
Speaking four languages linked to a 13-year brain age difference
When the researchers compared participants’ chronological ages with their estimated brain ages, they found a notable pattern.
The brains of people who spoke two languages appeared to be approximately six years younger than the brains of people who spoke only one language. Those who spoke three languages had brains that appeared about seven years younger. Among people who spoke four languages, the difference increased to approximately 13 years.
Dr. Amoruso said, “Simply put, people who speak more languages tend to have brains that look younger than expected for their chronological age. The effect is not limited to the number of languages spoken. Greater language proficiency and learning a second language at a younger age were also associated with slower brain aging. This suggests that multilingual experience has a gradual effect. It is not simply whether someone is bilingual; the depth and duration of their language experience also appear to matter.”
The researchers adjusted their analyses for factors including age, gender, and education. However, they cautioned that other influences on brain health, such as lifestyle, physical activity, and social engagement, may also help explain the observed differences.
Could language learning improve brain resilience?
Dr. Amoruso and her colleagues now plan to examine whether similar patterns occur in people with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, where brain aging and cognitive resilience are especially important.
The team also wants to investigate whether speaking two or more closely related languages may produce stronger effects. Switching between similar languages could require greater cognitive control because speakers must constantly manage competing words and linguistic systems.
Professor Christina Dara of the Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece chairs the FENS Forum’s communication committee but was not involved in the study. She said, “We know that many factors can influence brain health and mental performance as we age. For example, quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, maintaining social and artistic activities, and staying physically active may all help. The way we use our brains throughout life can also make a difference, particularly when we engage in challenging learning activities that stimulate the brain.”
“This study suggests that learning a second, third, or fourth language may help keep the brain younger for longer, and that starting earlier may be beneficial. There are many reasons to learn another language at any age, including social, cultural, and potential brain health benefits. We should support language learning in schools and throughout life, even when it is challenging.”
Funding was provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the Fogarty International Center, and the Multipartner Consortium Expanding Dementia Research in Latin America (ReDLat). Additional support came from the Alzheimer’s Society, the Global Brain Health Institute, the Davos Alzheimer’s Collaborative, Alzheimer’s Society UK, FONDECYT, and a Ramon y Cajal Fellowship through the Spanish National Research Agency.
Source: www.sciencedaily.com