Learning a new language may improve brain function regardless of when you start, according to a new study.

Researchers found that young adults proficient in two languages performed better on attention tests and had better concentration than those who spoke only one language, irrespective of whether they had learned that second language during infancy, childhood or their teen years, the Fox News reported.

The study appears in the current edition of the journal Frontiers in Psychology, led by Dr. Thomas Bak, a lecturer at Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences.

Last year Bak and his colleagues, including Dr. Suvarna Alladi of Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad, India, found that people in India who spoke more than one language from a very young age developed dementia about four years later, on average, compared to those who spoke only one language. This finding, Bak said, inspired him to investigate the cognitive benefits of learning a second language during adulthood.

In the new study, bilingual young adults performed better in ignoring irrelevant stimuli and focusing on relevant information.