Will learning a new language help prevent aging of the brain?

Brain aging is probably the most worrisome aspect of aging that most people would be interested in preventing. There are mountains of research and books on the topic of memory loss. It is known that memory declines sharply after menopause, prompting researchers to try hormone replacement therapy for memory loss. However, there is now a warning on hormone treatment, that it will not help in the prevention of Alzheimer's. So, the quest to search for the miracle drug for eternal brain youth continues.

Besides medications, there are other ways to keep our brain young and healthy. Some of the well known factors that can reduce the risks of dementia are:

1. Healthy and balanced diet

2. Physical activity

3. Sufficient sleep

4. Social interaction

5. Community service

In addition to doing all of the above, some researchers suggested that learning a new language or musical instrument will help reduce the chance of dementia. The theory is that only about 10% of the brain capacity is used, so learning something completely new will form new pathways and connections in the brain, “open” up new areas, and reduce the risks for dementia. Since there is no harm in learning new things, I decided to learn a new language. It was fun, and going back to school made me feel young, especially when I was interacting and learning with people half my age! Unfortunately, the pandemic changed the learning process for the whole world. Classes became online and we no longer interacted like we used to. We hardly saw each other’s faces! I felt that I am not learning as well online as I was in person. I studied just as hard and understood the teacher perfectly during the lecture but once the video was off, I could not remember as well and kept having to refer to the textbook. So, what was it that was helping the brain? Was it really just learning a new language? Or was it the action of going to school, learning with a group of people and interacting with them and the teacher?

It is fun learning for the sake of knowledge and self improvement! Speaking and understanding another language open up a whole new world, and the ability to interact with people in their native language is something that I would love to do when we get to travel again. Furthermore, if learning a new language can help me reduce the risk for dementia, it would be a bonus! So, let’s explore the world and pick up a new language!