Prometheus 6

Learning 2nd Language Changes Brain Anatomy -Study
Wed Oct 13, 2004 02:18 PM ET

By Patricia Reaney
LONDON (Reuters) - Being bilingual produces changes in the anatomy of the brain, scientists said on Wednesday in finding that could explain why children are so much better than adults at mastering a second language.

They found that people who speak two languages have more gray matter in the language region of the brain. The earlier they learned the language, the larger the gray area.

"The gray matter in this region increases in bilinguals relative to monolinguals -- this is particularly true in early bilinguals who learned a second language early in life," said Andrea Mechelli, a neuroscientist at University College London.

"The degree is correlated with the proficiency achieved."

Learning another language after 35 years old also alters the brain but the change is not as pronounced as in early learners.