Research presented at the 2026 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum suggests that speaking two or more languages may help slow the ageing of the brain. According to the study, people who were multilingual appeared to have "younger" brains than those who spoke only a single language, adding to a growing body of evidence linking bilingualism to cognitive benefits and resilience against age-related decline.

Researchers examined brain activity in several hundred people from Spain's Basque region, where residents commonly speak between one and four languages, including Spanish, Basque, French and English. The team used artificial intelligence-based analysis to compare the participants' measured brain age against their actual age, finding that those who spoke more languages tended to show younger-looking brain profiles. The findings were presented at a scientific conference rather than published in a peer-reviewed journal at this stage.