Being Bilingual Helps Your Brain Stay Strong

Learning a second language can delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to new research.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on April 10 2011

Learning a second language can be a bridge to another culture—but there’s another reason to sign up for that foreign language course beyond learning how to properly order a cappuccino in Italy: According to new research, being bilingual can boost your brain power and stave off dementia.

According to Ellen Bialystok, a psychologist from Toronto’s York University, people fluent in two or more languages are constantly scanning others’ words in order to decipher its language, increasing the brain’s activity. “Even if you are in a context that is utterly monolingual, where you think there is absolutely no reason to think about Chinese or Spanish or French, it is part of the activated network that’s going on in your brain,” she told NPR.

The brain’s executive control system is designed to help individuals focus on their top priorities and tune out distractions. For individuals who are bilingual, this function is used on an ongoing basis whenever a language is being spoken. “That’s what makes it strong,” says Bialystock.

As a result of this enhanced brain functioning, bilingual individuals who get dementia will get it an average of four to five years later than those who speak just one language.

The earlier you learn both languages, the better: Toddlers who learn a foreign language in their homes can become fluent in English by learning it in preschool within a matter of months. But if you didn’t get that second-language exposure at home and have forgotten your high school French, consider signing up for a refresher course. It might just be the brain boost you need.

Filed under: Health and Wellbeing,

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