Learning multiple languages helps keep brain young

If you want to keep your brain young throughout your life, start learning a new language. This is the conclusion of a medical study conducted in Spain. Researchers at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language found that learning a new language slows the rate of brain aging.

The study included 728 participants whose brain scans were used to develop a brain aging clock. This brain aging clock estimates a person’s brain age by analyzing the connections between different regions of the brain.

The researchers then tested the model on an additional group of 144 participants to estimate their brain age. The findings showed that people who speak more than one language have brains that appear 6 to 13 years younger than those of people who speak only one language.

The study also found that the more languages a person knows, the younger their brain appears. For example:

People who speak two languages have brains that appear 6 years younger.
Those who speak three languages have brains that appear 7 years younger.
People who speak four languages have brains that appear up to 13 years younger.

The researchers said that, in simple terms, speaking multiple languages is beneficial for brain health. They added that learning a new language during youth can slow the brain’s aging process.

The team also said they plan to investigate how learning multiple languages may affect the risk and progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.