Multilingual Brains 13 Years Younger

Research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 has found that people who speak several languages may have brains that appear up to 13 years younger than those of monolinguals. The study, conducted by Dr. Lucia Amoruso of the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language in San Sebastián, Spain, involved 728 people in the initial stage and 144 people in the second stage.

The researchers used magnetoencephalography to measure brain activity and created a 'brain aging clock' to estimate brain age. They also utilized artificial intelligence to analyze patterns of brain activity. The study found that four-language speakers showed brains that appeared about 13 years younger than those of monolinguals.

The effect of multilingualism on brain aging was also found to be stronger among those who learned another language earlier and became more proficient. This suggests that starting to learn another language at a young age and becoming highly fluent can have a significant impact on brain health.

## What it means The findings of this study have significant implications for our understanding of brain aging and the potential benefits of multilingualism. As people get older, the connections between nerve cells in the brain can weaken, contributing to slower thinking and declines in memory. However, the research suggests that multilingual experience may help offset some of these age-related changes.

The study's results are based on a large sample of people from the Basque region of Spain who spoke between one and four languages. The researchers worked with teams from the Latin American Brain Health Institute at the Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Chile, the Cognitive Neuroscience Center at the Universidad de San Andres, Argentina, and the Global Brain Health Institute at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

## Why it matters The discovery that multilingualism can slow brain aging has significant stakes. As the global population ages, the risk of age-related cognitive decline and dementia increases. If speaking multiple languages can help mitigate this risk, it could have a major impact on public health. Furthermore, the study's findings could inform strategies for promoting brain health and reducing the risk of cognitive decline.

The research presented at the FENS Forum 2026 is a significant step forward in our understanding of the relationship between multilingualism and brain aging. As the study's authors continue to explore this topic, we may uncover even more insights into the potential benefits of speaking multiple languages for brain health.