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Those who speak more languages age more slowly

2025-11-17 09:07:00, Kuriozitete CNA

Those who speak more languages ??age more slowly

Aging is a complex biological process - it does not happen at the same speed for everyone. While some people remain mentally and physically vital well into old age, for others the early signs of aging appear much earlier. Scientists then speak of "accelerated aging". In such cases, physical and mental functions decline more quickly than previously thought. Which factors can slow down this process is one of the central questions of aging research - from nutrition and physical activity to mental engagement.

Neuroscience has long assumed that multilingualism may be one of the protective factors. Someone who regularly "switches" from one language to another trains the mechanisms of attention and control that were thought to affect aging. However, until now it was not clear whether this effect could actually be measurably reflected in biological aging.

A large new study now provides clear evidence for the first time that people who speak more than one language actually age more slowly. To confirm the link between multilingualism and slower aging, the research team also took into account other factors that influence aging, such as education, physical activity and social influences.

Health data from 27 European countries
The study confirms what has long been assumed in aging research. This is also the opinion of the Secretary General of the German Society for Neurology, Peter Berlit, who told dpa: "This study confirms other smaller studies, which have shown that multilingualism is clearly a protective factor against dementia."

The new study, conducted at Trinity College Dublin and published in the journal Nature Ageing, involved Agustín Ibanez's research team analyzing health data from more than 86,000 people across the 27 EU countries.

The scientists were interested in whether the aging process in multilingual people differed measurably from that of monolinguals. For each person, they calculated what they called their "biobehavioral age" - a measure of how much their physical, mental and social functions had already changed.

The results showed that people who regularly use multiple languages ??show signs of accelerated aging significantly less often. This relationship remained stable even when other factors, such as education, income or air quality, were taken into account.

The more languages, the greater the effect.
It is particularly interesting that the protective effect depends on the “dose.” Thus, people who speak two or more languages ??age significantly more slowly than those who speak only one language.

Exactly how multilingualism makes the body more resistant to aging is still not entirely clear. Researchers think that constantly "switching" between languages ??is a kind of "brain training" that keeps important cognitive networks active. According to the research team, this strengthens our cognitive reserve - the brain's ability to protect itself from damage, for example in old age.

However, the question remains, at what point does multilingualism affect aging?

Michael Wagner, a professor at the University of Bonn, found evidence of the protective effect of multilingualism in a study two years ago with his colleague Elizabeth Kuhn. He emphasized in an interview: "Those who after retirement start some course to protect themselves from dementia - they probably won't succeed." At that point, he says, it's probably too late. But in any case, it is beneficial for older people to continue using the languages ??they have learned before and to remain mentally and physically active.

In future studies, the research team plans to examine in more detail when and how multilingualism affects aging - and whether it depends on the age at which the language was learned, or on the level of proficiency in each language./DW