Speaking more than one language could play a role in slowing brain aging, according to new research presented at the 2026 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum.

The study found that individuals who spoke multiple languages appeared to have younger brains than those who spoke only one.

Researchers analyzed brain activity data from hundreds of participants in Spain's Basque region who spoke between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French, and English.

They applied artificial intelligence to estimate each participant’s “brain age” by identifying patterns in brain connectivity.

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The analysis revealed that bilingual participants had brains that looked about six years younger than monolingual participants.

Those who spoke three languages appeared to have brains around seven years younger, and people fluent in four languages seemed to have brains approximately 13 years younger.

The findings also suggested that learning a second language earlier in life and achieving high fluency could bring greater cognitive benefits.

Dr. Tommy Wood, a neuroscientist, performance consultant, and author of “The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age,” said the study supports earlier evidence that multilingualism may help maintain mental sharpness with age.

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“Most of the evidence for the benefit of learning multiple languages comes from individuals who grew up bilingual or learned multiple languages in childhood,” Wood, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

He emphasized that adults who did not grow up bilingual should not assume it is too late to benefit from learning another language.

“There’s no clear cutoff in age where learning a second language would no longer be beneficial,” Wood said.

He cited several randomized controlled trials showing that even older adults may experience improvements in attention, working memory, and executive function after a few months of language study.

Wood also noted that learning a new language may enhance social engagement and strengthen the brain’s ability to process new information.

He encouraged learners not to shy away from errors and to embrace the process of being a beginner.

“It’s also important to lean into the process of being a beginner,” he said. “Making mistakes is one of the biggest drivers of neuroplasticity and learning.”

“If you do choose to learn a new language, get stuck in, challenge yourself, and embrace the occasional failure,” he added. “You’ll actually learn faster as a result.”

The researchers acknowledged limitations in their analysis.

Although they adjusted for factors such as age, sex, and education, they noted that other variables, including lifestyle and social activity, could also influence brain aging.

The study contributes to a growing body of research suggesting that multilingualism may offer cognitive advantages as people age, while emphasizing the value of continuous mental and social engagement.