Scientists show that being bilingual makes you smarter

Research indicates that bilingualism can improve cognitive skills not related to language and shield against dementia in old age

Recent scientific studies suggest that being bilingual actually makes you a smarter person. Well, being bilingual myself (English-Spanish) I have to admit being pleasantly surprised when I heard this. Yes!

According to Yudhijit Bhattacharjee reporting for The New York Times, scientists have been trying to understand the effects of being bilingual, beyond the obvious practical benefits of living in a globalized world.

As it turns out being bilingual has profound effects on your brain; improving cognitive skills that are not related to language and even prevent dementia in older age. In short—it makes you smarter.

There is evidence that a bilingual’s language systems are both active, even when they’re only using one, which leaves the possibility of one system interrupting the other. Yet, this interference is turning out to be a blessing in disguise, Bhattacharjee writes. It appears bilinguals are forcing the brain to resolve internal conflicts that give the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscle.

Evidence further suggests the bilingual experience improves the brain’s executive function, which is a command system that directs the attention process we use when we plan, solve problems and perform various mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switch the attention from one thing to another and hold information in mind—similar to remembering directions while driving.

“Bilingualism’s effects also extend into the twilight years. In a recent study of 44 elderly Spanish-English bilinguals, scientists led by the neuropsychologist Tamar Gollan of the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals with a higher degree of bilingualism — measured through a comparative evaluation of proficiency in each language — were more resistant than others to the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: the higher the degree of bilingualism, the later the age of onset.” Bhattacharjee concludes.

This may help to explain why my 90-year-old Argentine-born mother, who speaks both Spanish and English, still retains most of her cognitive skills and has, at least up until now, been spared from the debilitating effects of dementia.

Alex Dupont

See Also

  • Full opinion story by Yudhijit Bhattacharjee
    SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter.
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