Learning Multiple Languages Could Prevent Mental Decline, New Study Reveals
Learning at least two different languages during childhood may help people avoid mental decline in old age, a new study suggests.
The report, which was published in the journal Neuroscience, was the first to show a link between a cognitively stimulating activity such as speaking multiple languages on a daily basis and the improvement in brain function.
Different Neural Patterns found in Bilingual Seniors
The researchers explained that different patterns of brain activity were seen in bilingual seniors compared to their monolingual peers, especially when it comes to switching tasks.
For the study, the researchers used the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technique to compare the brain activity between healthy bilingual seniors and healthy monolingual peers whilst completing a test aimed to measure their cognitive flexibility. The age of the participants involved in the experiment ranges from 60 to 68.
The team, headed by Brian T. Gold, PhD, from Kentucky College of Medicine, found that all of the seniors were able complete the task accurately. However, when it comes to speed, the bilingual seniors performed better. And that is despite the fact that they expend less energy in doing the test – a surprising finding revealed through the fMRI. Nevertheless, younger adults still outscored both the bilingual and monolingual seniors in performing the task.
Lifelong Bilingualism Boosts Brain Function
While it is not the first to suggest that lifelong bilingualism may reduce mental decline (which according to experts, may result from training the brain to constantly shift from one language to another) Dr John L. Woodard, PhD, an aging expert from Wayne State University who was not involved in the study said the research was the first to provide evidence of a different pattern of neural functioning between bilingual and monolingual individuals.
Overall, the study suggests that bilingual seniors use their brains more efficiently, Gold said. He added that lifelong bilingualism may exert its strongest benefit on the frontal brain regions in ageing.
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Study shows cognitive benefit of lifelong bilingualism