We all have different reasons for learning a second language, whether it be to open up job opportunities, make friends from around the globe, or even just for the love of language learning and the new language itself (a little harder to believe!). There are also other positive effects of bilingualism, including the potential to improve your memory and thinking skills, while basking in the sense of fulfillment along the way.
Previous studies have demonstrated the potential positive effects of learning a second language on improving focus, promoting good aging, and even aiding brain injury recovery.
The function of bilingualism in cognition is further explained by a recent study from The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill University, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Zaragoza in Spain, which demonstrates improved connectivity between brain regions.
Researchers enlisted 151 individuals who were either French, English, or bilingual speakers, and documented the age at which they acquired their second language. The participants underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess whole-brain connectivity, diverging from the previous studies on bilingualism that concentrated on specific brain regions.
The fMRI results indicated that bilingual individuals exhibited enhanced connectivity among various brain regions compared to their monolingual counterparts, with this connectivity being notably stronger in those who had learned their second language at an earlier age. This phenomenon was especially pronounced between the cerebellum and the left frontal cortex.
This recent research provides deeper insights into the ways in which bilingualism affects the neural connections utilized for thinking, communication, and perceiving our surroundings.
“Our work suggests learning a second language during childhood helps build a more efficient brain organization in terms of functional connectivity,” says Zeus Gracia Tabuenca, the paper’s first author.
As my own language learning started later in life, currently a work in practice and a constant source of frustration I must add, it is difficult to know how much more connectivity between different regions of my brain there is, if only I had studied harder in my foreign languages classes at school, right? Then I might be witnessing the positive effects of bilingualism in my own daily life.
Reasons to learn a foreign langauge
According to GVI, reasons to learn a foreign language include wanting to improve your career prospects, enjoying travel more, or simply being able to appreciate literature, films, and music in the original version.
It is likely a combination of factors for many of us, and I have to admit that I never really considered the positive effects that learning a language may have on my own brain power. I am sure we can all relate to some of the reasons mentioned here, so I would love to hear about some of your own language learning experiences and your reasons for embarking on the quest to become bilingual, or multilingual even. Leave a comment below.