The Cognitive Benefits of Multilingualism

¿Hablas español? Sprichst du Deutsch? 你会说中文吗？

Did you answer, “Sí,” “Ja,” or “会”? Then chances are that you share membership with the multilingual majority of the world! Yay, you!

Multilingual people don’t just sound impressive and have an easier time traveling to different countries; their brains actually function uniquely different from those of people who speak only one language! Recent advances in brain-imaging technology (fMRI) have given neurolinguists a special look to learn how the brain interacts with language and learning.

The brain’s left hemisphere works linearly and processes information logically, while the right hemisphere is occupied with arranging emotional and social brain activity. Language is a practice that involves both of these hemispheres. Since children are still developing a specialization in left- or right-brain preference, they are easily able to access both sides of the brain. This allows them to learn languages more easily and rapidly, because they are naturally activating both hemispheres in their acquisition. In a typical adult’s brain, language would be accessed on one side of the brain (most commonly, the left). This literal “one-sided” approach stagnates language acquisition and is a large reason why learning a second language as an adult is so difficult!

For those who are in the multilingual club, their brains appear visibly different in imaging systems! For example, the gray area that holds the brain’s synapses and neurons is more dense, and specific regions of the brain display enhanced animation and movement when compared to a monolingual brain. This profound hub of activity has been proven to delay the onset of diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, by as much as five years. That’s more powerful than the best medicines doctors have to offer!

It may surprise you that many experts of old considered bilingualism to be a handicap that dramatically slowed academic development. They were concerned that it confused the child and caused an overextension of focus for language discernment. They argued that this fundamentally confounded concept mastery and held the learner back.

Neuroscientists have been astounded to discover that the exact opposite is true. Indeed, the multilingual brain is more healthy, more complex, more deeply engaged, and ultimately responsible for profound academic growth. A more recent study revealed that this surplus of activity within the gray matter of the brain significantly strengthened the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This faculty controls executive function, problem-solving, task-hopping, and focusing while filtering out irrelevant information. This enhanced brain function has also been linked to a stronger memory recall, visual-spatial skills, and even creativity.

This isn’t hard to imagine. The brain, like any muscle, needs exercise. The more it is used, the stronger it becomes. As it turns out, being fluent in two or more languages is a super-exercise for the brain, creating new neural pathways and connections for future learning. There certainly needs to be more education surrounding these impressive neurological advantages. Scientists and educators alike have a lot to learn from the amazing architecture of the multilingual brain. Language is truly a beautiful gift and enriches our lived experience in more ways than the naked eye can see.

Article References:

Bilingualism as a contributor to cognitive reserve: evidence from brain atrophy in Alzheimer’s disease. Schweizer TA, Ware J, Fischer CE, Craik FI, Bialystok E Cortex. 2012 Sep; 48(8):991-6. [PubMed] [Ref list]

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