Multilingualism linked to significantly younger brain age

Research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 suggests that multilingualism is linked to a younger brain age. The study found that as the number of languages spoken increases, the gap between a person's chronological age and their estimated brain age grows.

Researchers studied individuals in the Basque region of Spain who spoke combinations of Spanish, Basque, French, and English. Using a 'brain aging clock' developed through AI analysis of weak magnetic fields produced by brain cell activity, scientists estimated the brain ages of participants.

The findings indicated that bilingual individuals had brains appearing approximately 6 years younger than monolinguals, while those speaking three languages showed a 7-year difference. Most notably, individuals speaking four languages exhibited a brain age approximately 13 years younger than their actual age. Dr. Lucia Amoruso noted that the effect is also influenced by how early a second language is learned and the level of proficiency achieved.