Consistency is key.
Bilingual individuals tend to have more active and adaptable brains, according to a new study. Researchers found that people who speak two languages exhibit enhanced connectivity between different brain regions, as reported in the journal Communications Biology on October 10.
This increased connectivity is especially pronounced in those who learned a second language at an early age. Lead researcher Zeus Gracia Tabuenca, from McGill University in Toronto, explained that acquiring a second language during childhood fosters a more efficient brain organization in terms of functional connectivity.
In the study, 151 participants, who spoke either French, English, or both, underwent MRI scans that examined the connectivity within their brains. The results suggested that learning a second language improves the brain’s neuroplasticity — its ability to form new neural connections.
The study found the most significant effects in participants who learned their second language early in life. “The earlier the second language experience, the broader the brain areas involved in neuroplasticity,” Tabuenca said. This enhanced brain connectivity, particularly between the cerebellum and the cortex, reflects how the brain adapts to language learning.
These findings align with previous studies showing how different brain regions collaborate to process language. The increased brain connectivity associated with bilingualism could help boost cognitive abilities and potentially slow cognitive decline with age, while also aiding in recovery from brain injuries.
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