Home / Health / Speaking More Languages Slows Down Brain Aging, Study Reveals
Speaking More Languages Slows Down Brain Aging, Study Reveals
11 Nov, 2025
Summary
- Multilingual adults 50% less likely to experience accelerated brain aging
- Each additional language further improves brain health and function
- Dementia risk reduced by keeping brain active through language learning
According to a study published in Nature Aging on November 11, 2025, speaking multiple languages can help slow down brain aging. The research, which involved over 80,000 adults aged 51 to 90 from 27 European countries, discovered that those who spoke only one language were twice as likely to experience faster brain aging.
In contrast, multilingual individuals were about half as likely to face accelerated aging, and the benefits increased with the number of languages spoken. Researchers suggest that promoting multilingualism could play an important role in supporting healthy brain function and aging.
Dementia researcher Dr. Etu Ma'u from the University of Auckland explained that the brain naturally shrinks by about 5% every decade after age 40, but certain activities like learning and using multiple languages can strengthen "cognitive reserve" and help protect the brain from decline. Ma'u emphasized that it's never too early or too late to learn a new language, as it can keep the brain active and resilient throughout life.
