Speaking multiple languages may slow brain aging, with people who speak four languages showing brain patterns associated with people around 13 years younger, according to new research . The study found that bilingual participants had brains that appeared approximately six years younger than those who spoke one language. The difference increased to around seven years for people who spoke three languages and 13 years for those who spoke four. The findings were presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies conference in Barcelona.

Speaking multiple languages may slow brain aging, with people who speak four languages showing brain patterns associated with people around 13 years younger, according to new research .

The study found that bilingual participants had brains that appeared approximately six years younger than those who spoke one language. The difference increased to around seven years for people who spoke three languages and 13 years for those who spoke four. The findings were presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies conference in Barcelona.

Brain cells communicate through connected networks, but those connections often weaken with age. This decline can affect memory and the speed at which people process information.

Researchers from Spain, Chile, Argentina and Dublin studied people living in Spain’s Basque region, where multilingualism is common. Participants spoke different combinations of Spanish, Basque, French and English.

The researchers first used magnetoencephalography to measure brain activity in 728 people of different ages and language abilities. They then used artificial intelligence to calculate the expected level of brain connectivity for people at different ages, creating what the researchers described as a brain-aging clock.

A separate group of 144 participants was then scanned and compared with the model. The group contained equal numbers of people who spoke one, two, three or four languages.

The results suggested that the benefits were not determined only by the number of languages a person could speak. People who learned a second language earlier and reached a higher level of proficiency also tended to show younger-looking patterns of brain connectivity.

Dr Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language said multilingual experience appeared to work on a scale. The depth, duration and proficiency of a person’s language experience were all associated with delayed brain aging.

The researchers accounted for differences in age, sex and education.

However, they said other factors could still have influenced the findings, including lifestyle, social activity and access to mentally stimulating activities. The study therefore shows an association between multilingualism and younger-looking brains but does not prove that speaking more languages directly causes slower brain aging.

Professor Eef Hogervorst of Loughborough University also urged caution, noting that multilingual people may be more likely to engage in other brain-protective activities such as reading, lifelong learning or playing musical instruments.

The findings nevertheless suggest that learning and regularly using additional languages may help strengthen the brain’s resilience as people grow older.

Get the latest tech news, telecom insights, and product launches wherever you prefer.

Add ProPakistani to Preferred Sources and see more of our stories in Google Search and Top Stories.