A recent study published in Nature Aging on November 10, 2025, has revealed groundbreaking findings that suggest learning another language may slow down brain aging and help prevent cognitive decline. The study, which involved over 80,000 participants across 27 European countries, showed that individuals who are multilingual are half as likely to demonstrate signs of accelerated biological aging compared to those who only speak one language.
This research, led by neuroscientist Agustín Ibáñez from the Adolfo Ibáñez University in Santiago, Chile, aimed to address the longstanding question of whether multilingualism could delay aging. Previous studies on this topic have shown that speaking multiple languages can improve cognitive functions such as memory and attention, ultimately enhancing brain health as individuals grow older. However, many of these studies have been limited by small sample sizes and unreliable methods of measuring aging, leading to inconsistent and non-generalizable results.
The recent study utilized a computational approach to analyze the relationship between multilingualism and healthy aging in a large cohort of participants aged 51 to 90. Researchers calculated each participant’s biobehavioral age gap, which represents the difference between their chronological age and their predicted age based on various physiological, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors. A high biobehavioral age gap indicates accelerated aging, while a low gap suggests slower aging.
The results of the study revealed that individuals who spoke only one language were twice as likely to have a high biobehavioral age gap compared to those who spoke two or more languages. Furthermore, the protective effect of multilingualism increased with the number of additional languages spoken. This suggests that learning and maintaining multiple languages can significantly reduce the risk of accelerated aging.
The findings of this study have the potential to revolutionize the field of aging research and encourage individuals to pursue language learning as a means of preserving cognitive function in later years. By emphasizing the benefits of multilingualism on brain health, policymakers may be inspired to incorporate language education into formal curricula to promote healthy aging.
In conclusion, the study highlights the significant impact of multilingualism on cognitive aging and underscores the importance of language learning in maintaining brain health. By embracing language diversity and encouraging lifelong learning, individuals can potentially slow down the aging process and protect their cognitive abilities as they grow older.
