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Good news for translators: Bilingualism Has Protective Effect In Delaying Onset Of Dementia By Four Years, Canadian Study Shows. This study was a limited one examining medical records from one memory clinic, so nothing's been proven to be sure. But it isn't hard to believe that keeping your brain filled with multiple vocabularies, grammars, and even writing systems is a good way to flex that mental muscle more effectively for more years.

"Our study found that speaking two languages throughout one's life appears to be associated with a delay in the onset of symptoms of dementia by four years compared to those who speak one language," says Dr. Bialystok, Professor of Psychology at York University and Associate Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest.

The study follows on the heels of previous published reports by Dr. Bialystok and colleagues showing that bilingualism enhances attention and cognitive control in both children and older adults.