Overview
- Researchers analyzed data from about 86,000 adults aged 51–90 in 27 European countries using a computed biobehavioural age gap that compares predicted biological age with chronological age.
- Monolingual participants were roughly twice as likely to show accelerated ageing, while multilingual individuals were about half as likely, with stronger associations for three or more languages.
- The protective association persisted after adjusting for multiple confounders, including physical health, environment and sociopolitical factors.
- Language proficiency and frequency of use were not measured, and language counts were self-reported, limiting interpretation and precluding causal claims.
- Authors and independent experts call for longitudinal and intervention studies, including tests of late-life language learning, and suggest considering language learning in healthy ageing strategies.