A new study presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies congress in Barcelona suggests that speaking multiple languages may significantly slow brain aging.
Researchers found that the more languages people speak – and the earlier they learn them – the younger their brains appear to remain.
The study, conducted by scientists from Spain, Chile, Argentina and Ireland, examined brain activity in 728 people living in the Basque region of Spain, an area known for its high levels of multilingualism.
Using artificial intelligence to analyze brain patterns, researchers found that people who spoke two languages had brains that appeared, on average, six years younger than those of people who spoke only one language.
The difference increased among people who spoke more languages. Those who spoke three languages showed brains that appeared about seven years younger, while people who spoke four or more languages had brain structures that appeared approximately 13 years younger compared with their peers.
