5 things that happen in your brain when learning a new language
Learning a new language not only allows you to communicate with people from different cultures, but it also has a profound impact on your brain. Getting into a different language is a process that awakens skills and mental mechanisms that improve your life in general.
In the world, according to the Statista platform , there are more than 1.4 billion people who speak English. And not everyone is native to a country with that language. On the contrary, the majority study it as a second language. And it is assumed that since 2020 the intention to study it has grown, due to the job opportunities inherent to teleworking.
From increasing concentration to improving memory , learning a new language changes the brain. Get ready to discover the cognitive benefits of being bilingual.
What happens in the brain when we learn a new language?
According to experts, such as neurologist Felipe Vega Boada , learning a new language stimulates neuronal areas that strengthen the brain and promote the growth of the cortex and white matter. The interconnection between neurons is improved and new pathways for thinking, deduction and problem solving are created.
1. Increases the ability to concentrate and carry out tasks
Cognitive abilities and brain structures are not only developed biologically, but are also influenced by environmental factors. That is, daily activities and the environment in which we grow up constantly shape our cognition.
As mentioned in the book The Bilingual Brain , it has been shown that bilingualism , by impacting cognitive ability, allows different tasks to be carried out efficiently. In turn, it makes us better at evaluating the actions necessary for specific tasks.
That is why, when you immerse yourself in learning a new language and your brain focuses, this concentration becomes a transferable skill to other areas of your life. Additionally, your ability to divide your attention improves, allowing you to multitask without becoming easily distracted.
2. Delays the onset of dementia in old age
Language learning not only benefits young people and adults, but also older adults . According to the coordinator of the Neuroscience Seedbed at the CES University, Isabel Cristina Rojas Gallego , learning a language helps delay and reduce the risk of mental illnesses.
In fact, there are experts who consider that the language learning exercise is more effective than the medications that are marketed in order to delay the onset of dementia. In addition, it is a cheaper method and within reach of the majority with the expansion of the Internet.
3. Improves the capture and use of information
A comparative study carried out in 2018 managed to establish that learning a new language promotes the growth of gray matter in key areas of the brain. Previously, research from 2012 had already established that the hippocampus was one of the regions most favored by this increase in mass.
Gray matter plays a crucial role in processing and capturing information. By having more gray matter, bilingual brains are more efficient at processing data of any type and have a greater ability to adapt to new situations. This means that learning a new language not only improves your language skills , but also your ability to absorb and use general information.
4. Increase memory
Learning a new language stimulates different areas of the brain related to memory. A systemic review, published in the journal Neurology , identified that bilingual people showed a significant improvement in their memory, both short and long term.
Remembering vocabulary, grammatical structures and phrases in another language exercises and strengthens memory , which also has a positive impact on other areas. That is, we will be more skilled at remembering names, important dates or specific details of an event.
5. Promotes brain plasticity
The brain is an adaptable and flexible organ. Learning a new language stimulates neuroplasticity . This is an ability of the nervous system to modify itself in its structure.
Although it has always been said that the brain does not change because we cannot create new neurons, the truth is that we can modify the network between them. Neural connections are reorganized to give way to improved brain functions.
This plasticity not only benefits the language learning process. There will also be improvements in other cognitive skills:
- reasoning,
- Problem resolution,
- creativity.
A new language is an investment in your quality of life
Learning a new language is much more than acquiring linguistic skills. It is a journey that transforms your brain and gives you a series of surprising cognitive benefits.
And more too. Because brain changes correspond to an improvement in social interactions. According to research , we learn better with others and what we learn makes us more likely to interact with others .
From increasing your ability to concentrate to delaying the onset of mental illness, learning a new language improves your quality of life in many ways. Do not hesitate to embark on this adventure. The world is waiting for you to explore it, and your brain will thank you too!
