MIT researchers find why these skills can stay strong with age even as memory and attention decline

A study by researchers at MIT and Boston University found that the brain’s language network remains remarkably stable across adulthood, even as other cognitive systems become more vulnerable to ageing. Comparing younger and older adults, researchers observed similar language-related brain activity, including responses to unfamiliar words and unusual grammar. The findings suggest that accumulated language knowledge, such as vocabulary, may help preserve language abilities over time, offering new insights into healthy brain ageing.