Researchers at Northwestern University asked several bilingual and monolingual volunteers to identify two images whose names were very similar (clown and cloud).
Throughout the study, scientists observed their brains using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).
The results of the study revealed that the bilinguals had an easier time identifying the images than the others.
“Bilinguals, whether they are aware of it or not, continually choose between one language and another, which means that their brain is constantly practicing, as if he were continually completing crosswords or sudoku puzzles, ”explains Viorica Marian, professor of communication sciences.
Bilingualism makes the brain more alert and protects it from degeneration
This study confirms the results of previous research on the benefits of bilingualism.
In 2013, researchers from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland) revealed that speaking more than one language would delay the onset of different forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease, by 5 years.
In 2014, these scientists also revealed that people who spoke two or more languages had significantly better cognitive abilities compared to “the average expected at their age”. The strongest effects were observed in general intelligence and reading, and were observed among all bilinguals, and regardless of the age of learning the second language.
“It is never too late to learn a new language, and the beneficial effects of this learning can be visible after 6 months” concludes the researcher.
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