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Luo D, Kwok VPY, Liu Q, Li W, Yang Y, Zhou K, Xu M, Gao JH, Tan LH. Microstructural plasticity in the bilingual brain. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 196:104654. [PMID: 31306932 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 06/30/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The human brain has been uniquely equipped with the remarkable ability to acquire more than one language, as in bilingual individuals. Previous neuroimaging studies have indicated that learning a second language (L2) induced neuroplasticity at the macrostructural level. In this study, using the quantitative MRI (qMRI) combined with functional MRI (fMRI) techniques, we quantified the microstructural properties and tested whether second language learning modulates the microstructure in the bilingual brain. We found significant microstructural variations related to age of acquisition of second language in the left inferior frontal region and the left fusiform gyrus that are crucial for resolving lexical competition of bilinguals' two languages. Early second language acquisition contributes to enhance cortical development at the microstructural level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiyi Luo
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Veronica P Y Kwok
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Qing Liu
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China; College of Psychology and Sociology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Wenlong Li
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China; School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Ke Zhou
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Min Xu
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Center for MRI Research, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
| | - Li Hai Tan
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China; Center for Language and Brain, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen 518057, China.
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52
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White Matter Microstructure in Illiterate and Low-Literate Elderly Brazilians: Preliminary Findings. Cogn Behav Neurol 2019; 31:193-200. [PMID: 30562228 DOI: 10.1097/wnn.0000000000000173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate differences in white matter microstructure between illiterate and low-literate elderly Brazilians. BACKGROUND High literacy levels are believed to partially counteract the negative effects of neurodegenerative diseases. Investigating the impact of low literacy versus illiteracy on brain structure can contribute knowledge about cognitive reserve in elderly populations with low educational attainment. Fractional anisotropy is a measure derived from diffusion tensor imaging sequences that positively correlate with the integrity of the brain's white matter microstructure. METHODS Older adults who participated in an epidemiological study to investigate brain aging in Brazil and had magnetic resonance scans with the diffusion tensor imaging acquisition were selected (n=31). Participants were divided into two groups: (a) low-literate (n=21), with 3.4 (1.4) years of education, 79.8 (3.8) years of age, 17 cognitively healthy and four with cognitive impairment-no dementia; and (b) illiterate (n=10) with no formal schooling, 80.7 (4.1) years of age, six cognitively healthy and four with cognitive impairment-no dementia. We contrasted the two groups' white matter microstructure measures using whole-brain and region of interest approaches. RESULTS The low-literate participants had significantly higher fractional anisotropy values in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus than did the illiterate ones. CONCLUSIONS Although our results are preliminary because of the sample size, they suggest that low literacy, versus illiteracy, is associated with higher fractional anisotropy values, which are indirect measurements of white matter microstructure. This finding provides insight into a possible mechanism by which literacy, even at low levels, may contribute to cognitive reserve.
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53
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Lin JFL, Imada T, Kuhl PK. Neuroplasticity, bilingualism, and mental mathematics: A behavior-MEG study. Brain Cogn 2019; 134:122-134. [PMID: 30975509 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 07/22/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Bilingual experience alters brain structure and enhances certain cognitive functions. Bilingualism can also affect mathematical processing. Reduced accuracy is commonly reported when arithmetic problems are presented in bilinguals' second (L2) vs. first (L1) language. We used MEG brain imaging during mental addition to characterize spatiotemporal dynamics during mental addition in bilingual adults. Numbers were presented auditorally and sequentially in bilinguals' L1 and L2, and brain and behavioral data were collected simultaneously. Behaviorally, bilinguals showed lower accuracy for two-digit addition in L2 compared to L1. Brain data showed stronger response magnitude in L2 versus L1 prior to calculation, especially when two-digit numbers were involved. Brain and behavioral data were significantly correlated. Taken together, our results suggest that differences between languages emerge prior to mathematical calculation, with implications for the role of language in mathematics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Fu Lotus Lin
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Institute of Linguistics, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
| | - Toshiaki Imada
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Patricia K Kuhl
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Speech & Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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54
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Calvo N, Abrevaya S, Martínez Cuitiño M, Steeb B, Zamora D, Sedeño L, Ibáñez A, García AM. Rethinking the Neural Basis of Prosody and Non-literal Language: Spared Pragmatics and Cognitive Compensation in a Bilingual With Extensive Right-Hemisphere Damage. Front Psychol 2019; 10:570. [PMID: 30941077 PMCID: PMC6433823 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Above and beyond the critical contributions of left perisylvian regions to language, the neural networks supporting pragmatic aspects of verbal communication in native and non-native languages (L1s and L2, respectively) have often been ascribed to the right hemisphere (RH). However, several reports have shown that left-hemisphere activity associated with pragmatic domains (e.g., prosody, indirect speech, figurative language) is comparable to or even greater than that observed in the RH, challenging the proposed putative role of the latter for relevant domains. Against this background, we report on an adult bilingual patient showing preservation of pragmatic verbal skills in both languages (L1: Spanish, L2: English) despite bilateral damage mainly focused on the RH. After two strokes, the patient sustained lesions in several regions previously implicated in pragmatic functions (vast portions of the right fronto-insulo-temporal cortices, the bilateral amygdalae and insular cortices, and the left putamen). Yet, comparison of linguistic and pragmatic skills with matched controls revealed spared performance on multiple relevant tasks in both her L1 and L2. Despite mild difficulties in some aspects of L2 prosody, she showed no deficits in comprehending metaphors and idioms, or understanding indirect speech acts in either language. Basic verbal skills were also preserved in both languages, including verbal auditory discrimination, repetition of words and pseudo-words, cognate processing, grammaticality judgments, equivalent recognition, and word and sentence translation. Taken together, the evidence shows that multiple functions of verbal communication can be widely spared despite extensive damage to the RH, and that claims for a putative relation between pragmatics and the RH may have been overemphasized in the monolingual and bilingual literature. We further discuss the case in light of previous reports of pragmatic and linguistic deficits following brain lesions and address its relation to cognitive compensation in bilingual patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Calvo
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience, INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Faculty of Psychology, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Sofía Abrevaya
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience, INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Macarena Martínez Cuitiño
- Faculty of Psychology, National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.,Laboratory of Language Research (LILEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Brenda Steeb
- Laboratory of Language Research (LILEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Dolores Zamora
- Laboratory of Language Research (LILEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas Sedeño
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience, INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience, INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia.,Department of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile.,Centre of Excellence in Cognition and Its Disorders, Australian Research Council, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adolfo M García
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience, INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
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55
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Redefining bilingualism as a spectrum of experiences that differentially affects brain structure and function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:7565-7574. [PMID: 30914463 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811513116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning and using an additional language is shown to have an impact on the structure and function of the brain, including in regions involved in cognitive control and the connections between them. However, the available evidence remains variable in terms of the localization, extent, and trajectory of these effects. Variability likely stems from the fact that bilingualism has been routinely operationalized as a categorical variable (bilingual/monolingual), whereas it is a complex and dynamic experience with a number of potentially deterministic factors affecting neural plasticity. Here we present a study investigating the combined effects of experience-based factors (EBFs) in bilingual language use on brain structure and functional connectivity. EBFs include an array of measures of everyday usage of a second language in different types of immersive settings (e.g., amount of use in social settings). Analyses reveal specific adaptations in the brain, both structural and functional, correlated to individual EBFs and their combined effects. Taken together, the data show that the brain adapts to be maximally efficient in the processing and control of two languages, although modulated ultimately by individual language experience.
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56
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Hayakawa S, Marian V. Consequences of multilingualism for neural architecture. Behav Brain Funct 2019; 15:6. [PMID: 30909931 PMCID: PMC6432751 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0157-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Language has the power to shape cognition, behavior, and even the form and function of the brain. Technological and scientific developments have recently yielded an increasingly diverse set of tools with which to study the way language changes neural structures and processes. Here, we review research investigating the consequences of multilingualism as revealed by brain imaging. A key feature of multilingual cognition is that two or more languages can become activated at the same time, requiring mechanisms to control interference. Consequently, extensive experience managing multiple languages can influence cognitive processes as well as their neural correlates. We begin with a brief discussion of how bilinguals activate language, and of the brain regions implicated in resolving language conflict. We then review evidence for the pervasive impact of bilingual experience on the function and structure of neural networks that support linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive control, speech processing and production, and language learning. We conclude that even seemingly distinct effects of language on cognitive operations likely arise from interdependent functions, and that future work directly exploring the interactions between multiple levels of processing could offer a more comprehensive view of how language molds the mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Hayakawa
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Viorica Marian
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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57
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Gullifer JW, Chai XJ, Whitford V, Pivneva I, Baum S, Klein D, Titone D. Bilingual experience and resting-state brain connectivity: Impacts of L2 age of acquisition and social diversity of language use on control networks. Neuropsychologia 2018; 117:123-134. [PMID: 29727624 PMCID: PMC6086747 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the independent contributions of second language (L2) age of acquisition (AoA) and social diversity of language use on intrinsic brain organization using seed-based resting-state functional connectivity among highly proficient French-English bilinguals. There were two key findings. First, earlier L2 AoA related to greater interhemispheric functional connectivity between homologous frontal brain regions, and to decreased reliance on proactive executive control in an AX-Continuous Performance Task completed outside the scanner. Second, greater diversity in social language use in daily life related to greater connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex and the putamen bilaterally, and to increased reliance on proactive control in the same task. These findings suggest that early vs. late L2 AoA links to a specialized neural framework for processing two languages that may engage a specific type of executive control (e.g., reactive control). In contrast, higher vs. lower degrees of diversity in social language use link to a broadly distributed set of brain networks implicated in proactive control and context monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason W Gullifer
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Ave, Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1G1; Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada.
| | - Xiaoqian J Chai
- Cognitive Neurology/Neuropsychology Division, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, United States; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada
| | - Veronica Whitford
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso, United States; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada
| | - Irina Pivneva
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Ave, Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1G1; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada
| | - Shari Baum
- School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada
| | - Denise Klein
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada
| | - Debra Titone
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Ave, Montréal, QC, Canada H3A 1G1; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Canada.
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58
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Rossi E, Newman S, Kroll JF, Diaz MT. Neural signatures of inhibitory control in bilingual spoken production. Cortex 2018; 108:50-66. [PMID: 30130633 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bilinguals activate both languages when they intend to speak even one language alone (e.g., Kroll, Bobb, & Wodniekca, 2006). At the same time, they are able to select the language they intend to speak and switch back and forth between languages rapidly, with few production errors. Previous research utilizing behavioral (Linck, Kroll, & Sunderman, 2009) and neuroimaging techniques (ERPs and fMRI; Guo, Liu, Misra, & Kroll, 2011; Misra, Guo, Bobb, & Kroll, 2012) suggest that successful bilingual speech production is enabled by active inhibition of the language not in use. Results showing an asymmetric switching cost for the L1 compared to the L2 (with a larger cost -reflected in longer naming latencies-when switching from the L2 to the L1) have been taken as evidence that the L1 (usually the dominant language for bilinguals who learned their second language later in life) may need to be inhibited when speaking in the L2. However, there is still little research on the scope of this inhibitory process. The goal of this event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging study is to understand how the recruitment of neural areas implicated during bilingual language processing are shaped by the scope of language use. The results show that bilinguals engage a wide functional control network that is hierarchically engaged in local control for single lexical items, but extends further to the broader semantic level, and finally to the whole language. This functional network is modulated by proficiency in the L2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Rossi
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, California State Polytechnic University, USA; Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, USA; Department of Linguistics, University of Florida, USA.
| | | | - Judith F Kroll
- Department of Psychology, University of California Riverside, USA
| | - Michele T Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA
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59
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Del Maschio N, Sulpizio S, Fedeli D, Ramanujan K, Ding G, Weekes BS, Cachia A, Abutalebi J. ACC Sulcal Patterns and Their Modulation on Cognitive Control Efficiency Across Lifespan: A Neuroanatomical Study on Bilinguals and Monolinguals. Cereb Cortex 2018; 29:3091-3101. [DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhy175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a key structure implicated in the regulation of cognitive control (CC). Previous studies suggest that variability in the ACC sulcal pattern—a neurodevelopmental marker unaffected by maturation or plasticity after birth—is associated with intersubject differences in CC performance. Here, we investigated whether bilingual experience modulates the effects of ACC sulcal variability on CC performance across the lifespan. Using structural MRI, we first established the distribution of the ACC sulcal patterns in a large sample of healthy individuals (N = 270) differing on gender and ethnicity. Second, a participants’ subsample (N = 157) was selected to test whether CC performance was differentially affected by ACC sulcation in bilinguals and monolinguals across age. A prevalent leftward asymmetry unaffected by gender or ethnicity was reported. Sulcal variability in the ACC predicted CC performance differently in bilinguals and monolinguals, with a reversed pattern of structure–function relationship: asymmetrical versus symmetrical ACC sulcal patterns were associated with a performance advantage in monolinguals and a performance detriment to bilinguals and vice versa. Altogether, these findings provide novel insights on the dynamic interplay between early neurodevelopment, environmental background and cognitive efficiency across age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Del Maschio
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Simone Sulpizio
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - Keerthi Ramanujan
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Brendan S Weekes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
- School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Arnaud Cachia
- Laboratory for the Psychology of Child Development and Education, Sorbonne, CNRS UMR8240, Paris, France
- Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, France
- Imaging Biomarkers for Brain Development and Disorders, Ste Anne Hospital, INSERM UMR894, Paris, France
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
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60
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Beyond bilingualism: multilingual experience correlates with caudate volume. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3495-3502. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1695-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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61
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Reyes A, Paul BM, Marshall A, Chang YHA, Bahrami N, Kansal L, Iragui VJ, Tecoma ES, Gollan TH, McDonald CR. Does bilingualism increase brain or cognitive reserve in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy? Epilepsia 2018; 59:1037-1047. [PMID: 29658987 DOI: 10.1111/epi.14072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Bilingual healthy adults have been shown to exhibit an advantage in executive functioning (EF) that is associated with microstructural changes in white matter (WM) networks. Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often show EF deficits that are associated with WM compromise. In this study, we investigate whether bilingualism can increase cognitive reserve and/or brain reserve in bilingual patients with TLE, mitigating EF impairment and WM compromise. METHODS Diffusion tensor imaging was obtained in 19 bilingual and 26 monolingual patients with TLE, 12 bilingual healthy controls (HC), and 21 monolingual HC. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated for the uncinate fasciculus (Unc) and cingulum (Cing), superior frontostriatal tract (SFS), and inferior frontostriatal tract (IFS). Measures of EF included Trail Making Test-B (TMT-B) and Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System Color-Word Inhibition/Switching. Analyses of covariance were conducted to compare FA and MD of the Unc, Cing, SFS, and IFS and EF performance across groups. RESULTS In bilingual patients, FA was lower in the ipsilateral Cing and Unc compared to all other groups. For both patient groups, MD of the ipsilateral Unc was higher relative to HC. Despite more pronounced reductions in WM integrity, bilingual patients performed similarly to monolingual TLE and both HC groups on EF measures. By contrast, monolingual patients performed worse than HC on TMT-B. In addition, differences in group means between bilingual and monolingual patients on TMT-B approached significance when controlling for the extent of WM damage (P = .071; d = 0.62), suggesting a tendency toward higher performance for bilingual patients. SIGNIFICANCE Despite poorer integrity of regional frontal lobe WM, bilingual patients performed similarly to monolingual patients and HC on EF measures. These findings align with studies suggesting that bilingualism may provide a protective factor for individuals with neurological disease, potentially through reorganization of EF networks that promote greater cognitive reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anny Reyes
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.,Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Brianna M Paul
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.,University of California, San Francisco Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anisa Marshall
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan A Chang
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Naeim Bahrami
- Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Leena Kansal
- University of California, San Diego Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Vicente J Iragui
- University of California, San Diego Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Evelyn S Tecoma
- University of California, San Diego Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Tamar H Gollan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Carrie R McDonald
- San Diego State University/University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, San Diego, CA, USA.,Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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62
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Anderson JAE, Grundy JG, De Frutos J, Barker RM, Grady C, Bialystok E. Effects of bilingualism on white matter integrity in older adults. Neuroimage 2018; 167:143-150. [PMID: 29175203 PMCID: PMC5845836 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia symptoms and has thus been characterized as a mechanism for cognitive or brain reserve, although the origin of this reserve is unknown. Studies with young adults generally show that bilingualism is associated with a strengthening of white matter, but there is conflicting evidence for how bilingualism affects white matter in older age. Given that bilingualism has been shown to help stave off the symptoms of dementia by up to four years, it is crucial that we clarify the mechanism underlying this reserve. The current study uses diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to compare monolinguals and bilinguals while carefully controlling for potential confounds (e.g., I.Q., MMSE, and demographic variables). We show that group differences in Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and Radial Diffusivity (RD) arise from multivariable interactions not adequately controlled for by sequential bivariate testing. After matching and statistically controlling for confounds, bilinguals still had greater axial diffusivity (AD) in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus than monolingual peers, supporting a neural reserve account for healthy older bilinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John G Grundy
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jaisalmer De Frutos
- Laboratory of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Center for Biomedical Technology, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain; Biological and Health Psychology Department, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ryan M Barker
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Cheryl Grady
- Baycrest Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada; University of Toronto, Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Canada
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Baycrest Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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63
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Mamiya PC, Richards TL, Kuhl PK. Right Forceps Minor and Anterior Thalamic Radiation Predict Executive Function Skills in Young Bilingual Adults. Front Psychol 2018; 9:118. [PMID: 29479331 PMCID: PMC5811666 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) skills enhance learning across domains, and are particularly linked to the acquisition of a second language. Previous studies have shown that bilingual individuals show enhanced EF skills in cognitive tasks where they attended a targeted dimension of a stimulus while inhibiting other competing cues. Brain imaging revealed that bilingual young adults’ performances in the Stroop color-naming task were related to the volume of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and inferior frontal lobe. Subjects who had greater white-matter in the frontal cortex showed enhanced performances in the same task, suggesting that brain fiber pathways connecting ACC to the frontal region may be related to the Stroop color-naming task. No studies to date have examined the tissue properties of brain fiber pathways connecting these brain regions and their association with subjects’ EF performances. Importantly, there are no data establishing whether bilingual subjects exhibit different reaction times when words are presented in their first versus second language. To study these questions, we used behavioral and unbiased whole-brain analyses, recruiting 21 Chinese students. Using the Stroop color-naming task, we measured subjects’ reaction times (RTs) in which color names were displayed using fonts that matched the named color (congruent task) or mismatched the color (incongruent task). Students performed the task twice, first in English, the subjects’ second language, then in Chinese, the subjects’ primary language. Results from whole-brain analysis showed that students’ RTs in both the English and Chinese tasks were significantly correlated with the mode of anisotropy (MO) in a brain cluster containing the forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation in the right hemisphere. We also found that fractional anisotropy (FA) significantly predicted students’ RTs, with higher FA predicting shorter RT. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that right forceps minor and anterior thalamic radiation predict EF skills, suggesting that this brain feature may be important for young bilingual adults using their first and second languages to direct their attention when conflicting cues are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping C Mamiya
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Todd L Richards
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Patricia K Kuhl
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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64
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Rossi E, Cheng H, Kroll JF, Diaz MT, Newman SD. Changes in White-Matter Connectivity in Late Second Language Learners: Evidence from Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2040. [PMID: 29209263 PMCID: PMC5702476 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphological brain changes as a consequence of new learning have been widely established. Learning a second language (L2) is one such experience that can lead to rapid structural neural changes. However, still relatively little is known about how levels of proficiency in the L2 and the age at which the L2 is learned influence brain neuroplasticity. The goal of this study is to provide novel evidence for the effect of bilingualism on white matter structure in relatively proficient but late L2 learners who acquired the second language after early childhood. Overall, the results demonstrate a significant effect on white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) as a function of L2 learning. Higher FA values were found in a broad white matter network including the anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), the Uncinate Fasciculus (UF), and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). Moreover, FA values were correlated with age of L2 acquisition, suggesting that learning an L2, even past childhood, induces neural changes. Finally, these results provide some initial evidence that variability in the age of L2 acquisition has important consequences for neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Rossi
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Hu Cheng
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Judith F. Kroll
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Michele T. Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sharlene D. Newman
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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65
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Timmer K, Grundy JG, Bialystok E. Earlier and more distributed neural networks for bilinguals than monolinguals during switching. Neuropsychologia 2017; 106:245-260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.09.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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66
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Kousaie S, Chai XJ, Sander KM, Klein D. Simultaneous learning of two languages from birth positively impacts intrinsic functional connectivity and cognitive control. Brain Cogn 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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67
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Kang C, Fu Y, Wu J, Ma F, Lu C, Guo T. Short-term language switching training tunes the neural correlates of cognitive control in bilingual language production. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:5859-5870. [PMID: 28868623 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigated how language switching experience would modulate the neural correlates of cognitive control involved in bilingual language production. A group of unbalanced Chinese-English bilinguals undertook an 8-day cued picture naming training during which they named pictures in either of their languages based on visually presented cues. Participants' brain activation was scanned before and after the training in the same task. Behavioral results revealed a significant training effect such that switch costs were reduced after training. fMRI results showed that after training, activation of brain areas associated with cognitive control including the anterior cingulated cortex and the caudate was reduced. Besides, the activation reduction in the left dorsal anterior cingulated cortex positively correlated with the reduction in switch costs in response time and this training effect could be transferred to untrained stimuli. These findings suggest that neural correlates of cognitive control, especially that of the conflict monitoring process, in bilingual language production could be modulated by short-term language switching training. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5859-5870, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongben Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Junjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengyang Ma
- School of Education, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45221
| | - Chunming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Taomei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
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68
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Sequential language learning and language immersion in bilingualism: diffusion MRI connectometry reveals microstructural evidence. Exp Brain Res 2017; 235:2935-2945. [DOI: 10.1007/s00221-017-5029-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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69
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Bilingualism modulates the white matter structure of language-related pathways. Neuroimage 2017; 152:249-257. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.02.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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70
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Felton A, Vazquez D, Ramos-Nunez AI, Greene MR, McDowell A, Hernandez AE, Chiarello C. Bilingualism Influences Structural Indices of Interhemispheric Organization. JOURNAL OF NEUROLINGUISTICS 2017; 42:1-11. [PMID: 28579694 PMCID: PMC5450970 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroling.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Bilingualism represents an interesting model of possible experience-dependent alterations in brain structure. The current study examines whether interhemispheric adaptations in brain structure are associated with bilingualism. Corpus callosum volume and cortical thickness asymmetry across 13 regions of interest (selected to include critical language and bilingual cognitive control areas) were measured in a sample of Spanish-English bilinguals and age- and gender-matched monolingual individuals (N = 39 per group). Cortical thickness asymmetry of the anterior cingulate region differed across groups, with thicker right than left cortex for bilinguals and the reverse for monolinguals. In addition, two adjacent regions of the corpus callosum (mid-anterior and central) had greater volume in bilinguals. The findings suggest that structural indices of interhemispheric organization in a critical cognitive control region are sensitive to variations in language experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Felton
- University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA 92521
| | - David Vazquez
- University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA 92521
| | | | - Maya R. Greene
- University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Rd., Houston, TX, USA 77004
| | - Alessandra McDowell
- University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA 92521
| | | | - Christine Chiarello
- University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave., Riverside, CA, USA 92521
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71
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Grundy JG, Anderson JAE, Bialystok E. Neural correlates of cognitive processing in monolinguals and bilinguals. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2017; 1396:183-201. [PMID: 28415142 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/13/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Here, we review the neural correlates of cognitive control associated with bilingualism. We demonstrate that lifelong practice managing two languages orchestrates global changes to both the structure and function of the brain. Compared with monolinguals, bilinguals generally show greater gray matter volume, especially in perceptual/motor regions, greater white matter integrity, and greater functional connectivity between gray matter regions. These changes complement electroencephalography findings showing that bilinguals devote neural resources earlier than monolinguals. Parallel functional findings emerge from the functional magnetic resonance imaging literature: bilinguals show reduced frontal activity, suggesting that they do not need to rely on top-down mechanisms to the same extent as monolinguals. This shift for bilinguals to rely more on subcortical/posterior regions, which we term the bilingual anterior-to-posterior and subcortical shift (BAPSS), fits with results from cognitive aging studies and helps to explain why bilinguals experience cognitive decline at later stages of development than monolinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- John G Grundy
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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72
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Ware C, Damnee S, Djabelkhir L, Cristancho V, Wu YH, Benovici J, Pino M, Rigaud AS. Maintaining Cognitive Functioning in Healthy Seniors with a Technology-Based Foreign Language Program: A Pilot Feasibility Study. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:42. [PMID: 28298892 PMCID: PMC5331045 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers have hypothesized that learning a foreign language could be beneficial for seniors, as language learning requires the use of extensive neural networks. We developed and qualitatively evaluated an English training program for older French adults; our principal objective was to determine whether a program integrating technology is feasible for this population. We conducted a 4-month pilot study (16, 2-h sessions) with 14 French participants, (nine women, five men, average age 75). Questionnaires were administered pre- and post-intervention to measure cognitive level and subjective feelings of loneliness or social isolation; however, these scores did not improve significantly. Post-intervention, semi-directive interviews were carried out with participants, and a content/theme analysis was performed. Five main themes were identified from the interviews: Associations with school, attitudes toward English, motivation for learning English, attitudes toward the program’s organization, and social ties. The program was found to be feasible for this age group, yet perceived as quite difficult for participants who lacked experience with English. Nonetheless, most participants found the program to be stimulating and enjoyable. We discuss different suggestions for future programs and future directions for foreign-language learning as a therapeutic and cognitive intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin Ware
- Department of Psychoanalytical Studies, University of Paris VII Diderot Paris, France
| | - Souad Damnee
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca Hospital Paris, France
| | - Leila Djabelkhir
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca HospitalParis, France; Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris DescartesParis, France
| | - Victoria Cristancho
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca HospitalParis, France; Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris DescartesParis, France
| | - Ya-Huei Wu
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca HospitalParis, France; Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris DescartesParis, France
| | - Judith Benovici
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris Descartes Paris, France
| | - Maribel Pino
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca HospitalParis, France; Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris DescartesParis, France
| | - Anne-Sophie Rigaud
- Department of Clinical Gerontology, Broca HospitalParis, France; Faculty of Medicine, University of Paris DescartesParis, France
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73
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Abstract
According to some estimates, more than half of the world's population is multilingual to some extent. Because of the centrality of language use to human experience and the deep connections between linguistic and nonlinguistic processing, it would not be surprising to find that there are interactions between bilingualism and cognitive and brain processes. The present review uses the framework of experience-dependent plasticity to evaluate the evidence for systematic modifications of brain and cognitive systems that can be attributed to bilingualism. The review describes studies investigating the relation between bilingualism and cognition in infants and children, younger and older adults, and patients, using both behavioral and neuroimaging methods. Excluded are studies whose outcomes focus primarily on linguistic abilities because of their more peripheral contribution to the central question regarding experience-dependent changes to cognition. Although most of the research discussed in the review reports some relation between bilingualism and cognitive or brain outcomes, several areas of research, notably behavioral studies with young adults, largely fail to show these effects. These discrepancies are discussed and considered in terms of methodological and conceptual issues. The final section proposes an account based on "executive attention" to explain the range of research findings and to set out an agenda for the next steps in this field. (PsycINFO Database Record
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74
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Padilla C, Mendez MF, Jimenez EE, Teng E. Bilingualism in older Mexican-American immigrants is associated with higher scores on cognitive screening. BMC Geriatr 2016; 16:189. [PMID: 27881073 PMCID: PMC5122008 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-016-0368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bilingualism may protect against cognitive aging and delay the onset of dementia. However, studies comparing monolinguals and bilinguals on such metrics have produced inconsistent results complicated by confounding variables and methodological concerns. Methods We addressed this issue by comparing cognitive performance in a more culturally homogeneous cohort of older Spanish-speaking monolingual (n = 289) and Spanish-English bilingual (n = 339) Mexican-American immigrants from the Sacramento Longitudinal Study on Aging. Results After adjusting for demographic differences and depressive symptoms, both groups performed similarly at baseline on verbal memory but the bilingual group performed significantly better than the monolingual group on a cognitive screening test, the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS; p < 0.001). Group differences on the 3MS were driven by language/executive and language/praxis factors. Within the bilingual group, neither language of testing nor degree of bilingualism was significantly associated with 3MS or verbal memory scores. Amongst individuals who performed in the normal or better range on both tests at baseline and were followed for an average of 6 years, both monolinguals and bilinguals exhibited similar rates of cognitive decline on both measures. Conclusions These findings suggest that bilingualism is associated with modest benefits in cognitive screening performance in older individuals in cross-sectional analyses that persist across longitudinal analyses. The effects of bilingualism should be considered when cognitively screening is performed in aging immigrant populations. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12877-016-0368-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Padilla
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mario F Mendez
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Elvira E Jimenez
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Edmond Teng
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. .,Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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75
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Kuhl PK, Stevenson J, Corrigan NM, van den Bosch JJF, Can DD, Richards T. Neuroimaging of the bilingual brain: Structural brain correlates of listening and speaking in a second language. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2016; 162:1-9. [PMID: 27490686 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2016.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/12/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging was used to compare white matter structure between American monolingual and Spanish-English bilingual adults living in the United States. In the bilingual group, relationships between white matter structure and naturalistic immersive experience in listening to and speaking English were additionally explored. White matter structural differences between groups were found to be bilateral and widespread. In the bilingual group, experience in listening to English was more robustly correlated with decreases in radial and mean diffusivity in anterior white matter regions of the left hemisphere, whereas experience in speaking English was more robustly correlated with increases in fractional anisotropy in more posterior left hemisphere white matter regions. The findings suggest that (a) foreign language immersion induces neuroplasticity in the adult brain, (b) the degree of alteration is proportional to language experience, and (c) the modes of immersive language experience have more robust effects on different brain regions and on different structural features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia K Kuhl
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Jeff Stevenson
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Neva M Corrigan
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | | | - Dilara Deniz Can
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Todd Richards
- Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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76
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Pliatsikas C, DeLuca V, Moschopoulou E, Saddy JD. Immersive bilingualism reshapes the core of the brain. Brain Struct Funct 2016; 222:1785-1795. [PMID: 27678394 PMCID: PMC5406423 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-016-1307-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 09/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Bilingualism has been shown to affect the structure of the brain, including cortical regions related to language. Less is known about subcortical structures, such as the basal ganglia, which underlie speech monitoring and language selection, processes that are crucial for bilinguals, as well as other linguistic functions, such as grammatical and phonological acquisition and processing. Simultaneous bilinguals have demonstrated significant reshaping of the basal ganglia and the thalamus compared to monolinguals. However, it is not clear whether these effects are due to learning of the second language (L2) at a very young age or simply due to continuous usage of two languages. Here, we show that bilingualism-induced subcortical effects are directly related to the amount of continuous L2 usage, or L2 immersion. We found significant subcortical reshaping in non-simultaneous (or sequential) bilinguals with extensive immersion in a bilingual environment, closely mirroring the recent findings in simultaneous bilinguals. Importantly, some of these effects were positively correlated to the amount of L2 immersion. Conversely, sequential bilinguals with comparable proficiency and age of acquisition (AoA) but limited immersion did not show similar effects. Our results provide structural evidence to suggestions that L2 acquisition continuously occurs in an immersive environment, and is expressed as dynamic reshaping of the core of the brain. These findings propose that second language learning in the brain is a dynamic procedure which depends on active and continuous L2 usage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Pliatsikas
- Department of Clinical Language Sciences, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK.
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- Department of Clinical Language Sciences, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
| | - Elisavet Moschopoulou
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
| | - James Douglas Saddy
- Department of Clinical Language Sciences, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AL, UK
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77
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Seeman MV. Bilingualism and schizophrenia. World J Psychiatry 2016; 6:192-8. [PMID: 27354960 PMCID: PMC4919257 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v6.i2.192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Although a bilingual advantage has been described for neurodegenerative disease in general, it is not known whether such an advantage could accrue to individuals suffering from schizophrenia, since language networks are known to be disrupted in this condition. The aim of this minireview was to scan the existing literature to determine: (1) whether individuals with schizophrenia are able to learn a second language as adults; (2) whether clinical assessment, both for the purpose of accurate diagnosis and for the prediction of treatment response, should be carried out in both languages in bilinguals with schizophrenia; (3) whether psychotherapy in schizophrenia is affected by bilingualism; and (4) whether speaking a second language improves outcome in schizophrenia. The literature to date is too sparse to make definitive statements, but: (1) individuals with schizophrenia appear to be capable of learning a new languages as adults; and (2) it is possible that teaching a foreign language may serve as a form of cognitive rehabilitation for this condition. This literature review recommends research into the effects of bilingualism on the outcome of schizophrenia. Included in this review is a retrospective pilot study conducted in Canada, which suggests that employment opportunities for patients with schizophrenia are improved when they speak more than one language. This is important to note because employment is generally problematic in the context of schizophrenia while, at the same time, the ability to obtain work contributes significantly to quality of life.
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78
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Brain white matter structure and COMT gene are linked to second-language learning in adults. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:7249-54. [PMID: 27298360 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1606602113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Adult human brains retain the capacity to undergo tissue reorganization during second-language learning. Brain-imaging studies show a relationship between neuroanatomical properties and learning for adults exposed to a second language. However, the role of genetic factors in this relationship has not been investigated. The goal of the current study was twofold: (i) to characterize the relationship between brain white matter fiber-tract properties and second-language immersion using diffusion tensor imaging, and (ii) to determine whether polymorphisms in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene affect the relationship. We recruited incoming Chinese students enrolled in the University of Washington and scanned their brains one time. We measured the diffusion properties of the white matter fiber tracts and correlated them with the number of days each student had been in the immersion program at the time of the brain scan. We found that higher numbers of days in the English immersion program correlated with higher fractional anisotropy and lower radial diffusivity in the right superior longitudinal fasciculus. We show that fractional anisotropy declined once the subjects finished the immersion program. The relationship between brain white matter fiber-tract properties and immersion varied in subjects with different COMT genotypes. Subjects with the Methionine (Met)/Valine (Val) and Val/Val genotypes showed higher fractional anisotropy and lower radial diffusivity during immersion, which reversed immediately after immersion ended, whereas those with the Met/Met genotype did not show these relationships. Statistical modeling revealed that subjects' grades in the language immersion program were best predicted by fractional anisotropy and COMT genotype.
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79
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Burgaleta M, Sanjuán A, Ventura-Campos N, Sebastian-Galles N, Ávila C. Bilingualism at the core of the brain. Structural differences between bilinguals and monolinguals revealed by subcortical shape analysis. Neuroimage 2016; 125:437-445. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.09.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
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80
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Treccani B, Mulatti C. No matter who, no matter how… and no matter whether the white matter matters. Why theories of bilingual advantage in executive functioning are so difficult to falsify. Cortex 2015; 73:349-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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81
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Pliatsikas C, Chondrogianni V. Editorial: Learning a non-native language in a naturalistic environment: insights from behavioral and neuroimaging research. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1009. [PMID: 26236272 PMCID: PMC4505070 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vicky Chondrogianni
- School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh Edinburgh, UK
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82
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Duñabeitia JA, Carreiras M. The bilingual advantage: Acta est fabula? Cortex 2015; 73:371-2. [PMID: 26189682 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 06/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain; University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
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83
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Kaiser A, Eppenberger LS, Smieskova R, Borgwardt S, Kuenzli E, Radue EW, Nitsch C, Bendfeldt K. Age of second language acquisition in multilinguals has an impact on gray matter volume in language-associated brain areas. Front Psychol 2015; 6:638. [PMID: 26106338 PMCID: PMC4458568 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous structural studies have established that experience shapes and reshapes the brain throughout a lifetime. The impact of early development, however, is still a matter of debate. Further clues may come from studying multilinguals who acquired their second language at different ages. We investigated adult multilinguals who spoke three languages fluently, where the third language was learned in classroom settings, not before the age of 9 years. Multilinguals exposed to two languages simultaneously from birth (SiM) were contrasted with multinguals who acquired their first two languages successively (SuM). Whole brain voxel based morphometry revealed that, relative to SuM, SiM have significantly lower gray matter volume in several language-associated cortical areas in both hemispheres: bilaterally in medial and inferior frontal gyrus, in the right medial temporal gyrus and inferior posterior parietal gyrus, as well as in the left inferior temporal gyrus. Thus, as shown by others, successive language learning increases the volume of language-associated cortical areas. In brains exposed early on and simultaneously to more than one language, however, learning of additional languages seems to have less impact. We conclude that – at least with respect to language acquisition – early developmental influences are maintained and have an effect on experience-dependent plasticity well into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anelis Kaiser
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern Switzerland
| | | | - Renata Smieskova
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Stefan Borgwardt
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Esther Kuenzli
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | | | - Cordula Nitsch
- Department of Biomedicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Bendfeldt
- Medical Image Analysis Centre, University Hospital Basel, Basel Switzerland
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84
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de Bruin A, Treccani B, Della Sala S. The Connection Is in the Data. Psychol Sci 2015; 26:947-9. [DOI: 10.1177/0956797615583443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Angela de Bruin
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
| | - Barbara Treccani
- Department of History, Human Sciences and Education, University of Sassari
| | - Sergio Della Sala
- Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
- Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Psychology, University of Edinburgh
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