How Bilingualism Changes Our Brain

About half of the people in the world can speak at least two languages fluently. Evidence suggests that people who are bilingual tend to have a better attention span and memory. Previous studies have shown the bilingual children have a better working memory than monolingual children, as well as a possibly recovering better from a stroke and delaying the symptoms of dementia (“The Advantages of a Bilingual Brain,” 2018).


In a study titled, “Early bilingualism, language attainment, and brain development” by Jonathan Berken et al., discusses the brain plasticity, structurally and functionally, in children who are bilingual. It was concluded that adults who take on a second language later in life will not have the same brain as someone who learned when they were a child, due to the optimal periods for learning language that only occur in young children. They found that when at least two languages were taught to children from birth, the structure and function of their brains seemed to be more organized in comparison to a monolingual child. Neuroplasticity can still occur in adults acquiring a second language, but it is much more limited than a child's brain (Berken et al., 2017).


“The Advantages of a Bilingual Brain” (2018), focuses on the differences between people who are bilingual versus monolingual, structurally and functionally. Not only do bilingual individuals have a better memory and attention span, but new research also suggests that they recover better after suffering a stroke, and symptoms of dementia can be delayed up to four years in comparison to someone who is monolingual. Although being bilingual can delay dementia symptoms a few years, this is due to the strengthening of the cognitive reserve, which you can also accomplish by playing a musical instrument, exercising, or staying social. Studies have shown that there is more gray matter in the left inferior parietal region of the brain, as well as less white matter loss while aging.


Both pieces of literature agree that brain plasticity causes the structure and function of the brain to change when a young child develops more than one language, which can be beneficial in many aspects. It is widely agreed that learning multiple languages at a young age causes the brain to wire differently due to brain plasticity. Bilingualism can have many positive effects on our brain structure and function. The effects on the brain due to bilingualism are still being studied, and hopefully in the future we can gain a better understanding of it and all the benefits and effects on the brain in children and adults.

References

The advantages of a bilingual brain. OpenMind. (2019, March 4). Retrieved May 2, 2022, from              https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/research/the-advantages-of-a-bilingual-brain/


Berken, J. A., Gracco, V. L., & Klein, D. (2017). Early bilingualism, language attainment, and brain         development. Neuropsychologia, 98, 220–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.08.031