Study: The Younger You Learn Many Languages, The More Efficient Your Brain Works

Studies show that learning multiple languages ​​has a positive effect on the brain. The younger a person learns many languages, the more efficiently the brain works.

Note that our brain has an ability called neuroplasticity. This is the brain’s ability to build connections within itself, adapting to the surrounding environment.

The brain is at its most plastic in childhood, creating new pathways in response to stimuli such as language.

In this case, research has shown that learning a second language can have a positive effect on focus, healthy aging, and even recovery after brain injury.

The research done by The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) from McGill University, University of Ottawa, and University of Zaragoza in Spain explains the role of bilingualism in psychology. The research shows an increase in the effectiveness of communication between brain regions related to bilingualism.

The younger you learn a language, the better the connection in the brain

The scientists recruited 151 participants who spoke French, English, or both, and recorded the age at which they learned their second language.

The participants were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a resting state to record whole brain connectivity, instead of targeting specific regions as was done in two studies -previous language.

fMRI scans showed that bilingual participants had better connectivity between brain regions than monolingual participants. This connection is also stronger in those who learned the second language at a younger age.

This connectivity effect was particularly strong between the cerebellum and the left frontal cortex.

The parts of the brain do not work independently

The research results also reflect previous research showing that regions in the brain do not work alone, but interact with others to understand and produce language.

Research also shows that whole brain efficiency helps with cognitive performance.

This research reveals more about how bilingualism affects the brain connections we use to think, communicate and experience the world around us.

“Our research shows that learning a second language during childhood helps build a more efficient brain organization in terms of functional connectivity,” said Zeus Gracia Tabuenca, first author of the paper.

“The results show that the earlier the second language is acquired, the more brain areas involved in neuroplasticity. That is why we saw a higher cerebellar connection with the cortex in earlier second language exposure,” he continued, reported by Science Daily.

This research was funded with the support of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Blema and Arnold Steinberg Family Foundation, the Brain, Language and Music Research Center through the Fonds de recherche du Québec, Brain Canada, program Canada Research Chairs, the European Union’s NextGeneration program, and the Margarita Salas Program at the Spanish Ministry of Universities.

(nah/nwk)