Speaking two or more languages may help slow brain aging, according to new research presented at the 2026 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum. The study found that people who spoke multiple languages appeared to have younger brains than those who spoke only one language.

Study Findings

Researchers analyzed brain activity from hundreds of people in Spain’s Basque region who spoke between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French, and English. They used artificial intelligence to estimate each participant’s ‘brain age’ based on patterns of brain connectivity.

The researchers found that bilingual participants had brains that appeared about six years younger than those of monolingual participants. People who spoke three languages had brains that appeared about seven years younger, while those who spoke four languages had brains that appeared roughly 13 years younger.

Dr. Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist, performance consultant, and author, said the findings support earlier research showing that speaking multiple languages may help protect cognitive function as people age. Wood emphasized that adults who didn’t grow up speaking more than one language should not assume it’s too late to benefit from learning a new language.

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