French, Spanish, Arabic. You’ve likely tried taking up a second language at least once in your life. Currently, there are around 1.2 million people around the globe learning a foreign language. However, not many know that, aside from the ability to understand, talk, and read in words different from what you are used to, bilingualism actually provides benefits and induces changes in your brain that go much deeper.
Structural Changes
When you learn a second language, you are actually unconsciously strengthening the connections/connectivity between many different brain regions, especially those located in the language network. When you learn a language at a younger age, this connectivity between brain regions is much stronger, with a particular emphasis on the connection between the cerebellum and the left frontal cortex. Your brain undergoes neuroplastic adaptations that modulate the structural connectome in and across the hemispheres to process the newly learned language.
Cognitive Benefits
Did you know that when you learn a second language,
you actually possess enhanced cognitive abilities compared to your monolingual peers? Some of these abilities include:
- Elevated multitasking and attention focusing
- Stronger response to complex sounds, even in loud environments³
- Improved performance on selective attention tests³
- Enhanced executive function, particularly in attention and working memory³
Brain Function and Efficiency
Bilingualism increases your brain’s efficiency, especially if learned at a young age. fMRI (a type of MRI that checks brain activity) scans show that bilingual individuals have increased whole-brain connectivity, indicating more efficient brain organization in relation to functional connectivity. This increased efficiency assists cognitive performance and influences how teens think, communicate, and experience the world they are in.
Long-term Benefits
Learning a second language as a teen can have lasting positive effects:
- Protection against cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer’s in adulthood.
- Possible contributions to better brain health in adulthood through increased grey matter density and white matter integrity.
- Potential for enhanced recovery after brain injury.
TL;DR
In conclusion, learning a second language as a teenager not only enhances your cognitive abilities but also induces structural changes in the brain that lead to long-term benefits in brain health and function.
Sources:
- https://www.cbs.mpg.de/2206561/20230108
- https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/bilingualism-makes-brain-more-efficient-especially-when-learned-young-age-360355
- https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2012/06/bilingual-effects-brain
- https://www.cambridge.org/elt/blog/2022/04/29/learning-language-changes-your-brain/
- https://www.whitbyschool.org/passionforlearning/learning-a-new-language-helps-brain-development
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7473972/
- https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/advantages_of_a_bilingual_brain
- https://news.mit.edu/2018/cognitive-scientists-define-critical-period-learning-language-501