A Second Language Can Save Your Brain Power
Good news for anyone who’s bilingual. Two studies just backed up the idea that speaking more than one language can keep your brain young!
There was already evidence it was true. But two recent studies in the journal “Frontiers of Psychology” back that up, and say it can even help you avoid things like dementia.
Researchers worked with 63 people over the age of 60. Not all of them were fluent in a second language, but they could at least understand a little bit. Each of them had to do a series of cognitive tests. And researchers found that the ones who WERE fluent tended to do a lot better.
They think it’s because people who regularly speak two different languages basically train their brains to be able to shift back and forth and focus on different stuff quickly.
The same researchers also did a second study that came up with this stat that’s pretty incredible: They found people who speak more than one language can delay things like dementia and Alzheimer’s by an extra FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS compared to people who only speak one language.
I took five years of Spanish and now speak very little. I’m doomed. Rosetta Stone, Babbel – WHERE ARE YOU???????
-Carla Rea
