Canadian neuroscientists have found that bilinguals and polyglots have higher white matter quality in the brain compared to monolinguals, reports infohub.kz.
Researchers from McGill University and the Montreal Neurological Institute published their findings in the journal Nature Communications. The neuroscientists analyzed MRI data from 469 participants who were followed from childhood into their 80s and 90s.
The team found that regular use of two or more languages stimulates neuroplasticity and protects the brain's white matter from age-related degradation. Knowing multiple languages trains cognitive reserve and reduces the risk of damage to nerve fibers.
According to the authors, led by Dr. Nathan Spring, the cognitive benefits appear regardless of the age at which a person learned a second language. The neuroscientists emphasize that bilingualism does not completely prevent neurodegenerative pathologies, but it helps the brain compensate for damage longer. As a result, the first clinical symptoms of dementia in polyglots appear on average 4-5 years later.