Learning a second language has a wide array of benefits for your brain. From delaying Alzheimer’s disease to improving brain function, your language studies provide more advantages than you might think. In this article, we’ll cover bilingualism and brain development. Specifically, how learning a second language changes your brain and answer some common questions on this topic.
Bilingualism and Brain Development
What Learning a Second Language Does to Your Brain
1. Brain Reshaping
What happens to your brain when you become bilingual? According to research, learning and using more than one language from an early age can significantly influence your brain structure and function.
Studies using brain imaging techniques have shown that bilingualism literally changes the shape of your brain. Bilingualism mostly impacts areas related to language and executive functioning, which helps us plan, focus, and manage multiple tasks.
This makes sense because having to switch from one language to another forces people to be aware of their surroundings and to quickly adapt to changes in their environment.
One important part of the brain that’s affected by bilingualism is the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and controlling attention. One study showed that in bilinguals, the prefrontal cortex shows greater gray matter density compared to monolinguals.
Another article published in the journal Nature showed that bilingual individuals have increased gray matter density in the left inferior parietal lobe, which plays a crucial role in language processing.
2. Executive Functioning
Bilingualism not only changes the brain’s structure but also boosts cognitive performance.
Research from Psychological Science shows that bilingual folks outperform monolingual individuals on tasks related to executive functioning, like switching attention and ignoring irrelevant information.
This appears to be because of the constant switching between languages that bilingualism requires.
Scientists also found that bilingual individuals tend to perform better on tasks that require flexible thinking and mental multitasking, which is referred to as cognitive control.
A bilingual person’s brain always stays active when they are speaking, even if they are only speaking one language at a time. That’s because bilinguals have to think and consider which language to use depending on the person they speak with. It’s a constant mental exercise that strengthens certain parts of the brain.
3. Cognitive Decline
You probably won’t be surprised to learn that bilingualism can even help protect your brain as you age!
In 2013, a study published in the journal Neurology found that bilingual individuals tend to develop symptoms of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia about 4-5 years later than people who only speak one language. This is thought to be because bilingualism helps develop the cognitive reserve, the brain’s ability to withstand brain damage and aging.
Learning a second language serves as a mental workout, keeping your brain more agile and sharper for longer.
4. Does Age Matter?
Does it matter when you become bilingual? Is there a difference between learning a second language as a child versus an adult?
Interestingly, early bilingualism (when a child learns two languages before the age of 6) has the strongest effect on brain development, particularly in areas responsible for language processing.
However, even if you learn a second language later in life, learning a second language still has significant cognitive benefits.
Studies from the Journal of Neuroscience reveal that adult learners still experience increased gray matter density and enhanced cognitive flexibility.
5. Can Bilingualism Confuse Children?
Research has shown that children who grow up in bilingual environments are not confused by learning two languages.
Children have an incredible ability to distinguish multiple languages from an early age. Some studies suggest that this is the case even from birth.
Experts explain that instead of causing confusion, bilingualism strengthens a child’s cognitive abilities and helps them develop better problem-solving skills.
6. The Power of Bilingualism
Evidently, science shows that learning a second language has the power to transform your brain.
Bilingualism not only reshapes our brain but also enhances our cognitive abilities, delays cognitive decline, and keeps us mentally fit.
If you’ve been learning a new language yourself or thinking about raising bilingual children, keep at it! The benefits are real and backed by science.
VIDEO – What Learning a Second Language Does to Your Brain
Find the information above in video format below! Although the video is in English, the video provides subtitles in other languages.
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