Multilingual people may have brains up to 13 years younger
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People who speak more than one language may have brains that appear younger than expected for their age, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026. The study found that those who spoke four languages had brains that appeared about 13 years younger than monolinguals. The effect was stronger among those who learned a second language earlier and achieved higher proficiency.
Key Facts
- People who spoke two languages had brains that appeared about six years younger than monolinguals.
- Those who spoke three languages had brains that appeared about seven years younger.
- Among people who spoke four languages, the difference grew to roughly 13 years.
- The study used magnetoencephalography and artificial intelligence to estimate brain age in 144 people.
- The research was presented by Dr. Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language.
Study Methodology
Researchers first studied 728 people to create a 'brain aging clock' using magnetoencephalography, which detects magnetic fields from active brain cells. Artificial intelligence analyzed patterns of brain activity across different ages to estimate typical brain connectivity at various life stages. The clock was then applied to a separate group of 144 people to estimate each person's 'brain age'. Participants were from the Basque region of Spain and spoke between one and four languages, using combinations of Spanish, Basque, French, and English.
Language Proficiency and Acquisition
Dr. Amoruso stated that the effect was not only related to the number of languages spoken. Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with more delayed brain aging. This suggests that multilingual experience matters as a gradient, not simply being bilingual or not, but the depth and duration of language experience.
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Multilingual people may have brains up to 13 years younger
