New study shows: Multilingualism slows down aging and protects against dementia
People who regularly speak several languages age more slowly on average. This is the finding of a study using data from more than 86,000 adults in 27 European countries. Multilingualism was associated with delayed aging even when the research team took other protective factors such as education, physical activity, and social influences into account.
In a study published in the journal "Nature Aging," the international team led by Agustin Ibañez from Trinity College Dublin compared participants' ages with biological data and behavioral characteristics—such as health, fitness, lifestyle, and social activity. This allowed them to calculate whether someone was biologically younger or older than their chronological age indicated. Participants ranged in age from 50 to 90.
Multilingual individuals had a significantly lower probability of accelerated aging than people who speak only one language. Each additional language enhanced the protective effect. The researchers describe this as a dose-dependent effect.
For Peter Berlit, the study also points to a protective effect against dementia. "This study confirms smaller observational studies that have shown that multilingualism is clearly a protective factor against dementia," said the Secretary General of the German Society for Neurology (DGN). Although no people with dementia were included in the study, Berlit sees important clues to mechanisms that could reduce the risk of cognitive decline in old age. "Resilience against a decline in cognitive abilities is indeed increased by using several languages."
The researchers attribute the effect to the so-called cognitive reserve. "Multilingualism seems to act as a buffer in the brain," explained Berlit, who was not involved in the study. "Those who speak several languages have more memory to draw on in old age."
“The effect is clearly documented – the challenge now lies in understanding its mechanisms and translating them into strategies for healthy aging,” write neuroscientists Jason Rothman and Federico Gallo of Lancaster University in the UK in a commentary on the study. Multilingualism is a cost-effective lever for public health that could be just as important as programs promoting exercise or smoking cessation.
DGN Secretary General Berlit also spoke of an effective means of prevention: "Learning a new language is a simple and very effective recommendation for dementia prevention. It is a public health measure that everyone can implement."
The researchers now want to investigate whether learning new languages in later life has the same protective effect as lifelong multilingualism. "Future studies should differentiate between languages learned in childhood and those learned in old age. I believe both have an effect – but this still needs to be proven," said Berlit.
RND/dpa
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