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de Leon J, Grasso S, Allen IE, Escueta DP, Vega Y, Eshghavi M, Watson C, Dronkers N, Gorno-Tempini ML, Henry ML. Examining the relation between bilingualism and age of symptom onset in frontotemporal dementia. BILINGUALISM (CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND) 2024; 27:274-286. [PMID: 38707508 PMCID: PMC11065430 DOI: 10.1017/s1366728923000226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Bilingualism is thought to confer advantages in executive functioning, thereby contributing to cognitive reserve and a later age of dementia symptom onset. While the relation between bilingualism and age of onset has been explored in Alzheimer's dementia, there are few studies examining bilingualism as a contributor to cognitive reserve in frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In line with previous findings, we hypothesized that bilinguals with behavioral variant FTD would be older at symptom onset compared to monolinguals, but that no such effect would be found in patients with nonfluent/agrammatic variant primary progressive aphasia (PPA) or semantic variant PPA. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no significant difference in age at symptom onset between monolingual and bilingual speakers within any of the FTD variants, and there were no notable differences on neuropsychological measures. Overall, our results do not support a protective effect of bilingualism in patients with FTD-spectrum disease in a U.S. based cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica de Leon
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Stephanie Grasso
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Texas At Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Isabel Elaine Allen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Danielle P. Escueta
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yvette Vega
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Malihe Eshghavi
- Department of International and Multicultural Education, University of San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Christa Watson
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Nina Dronkers
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Gorno-Tempini
- Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maya L. Henry
- Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Texas At Austin, Texas, USA
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Stasenko A, Kaestner E, Arienzo D, Schadler A, Reyes A, Shih JJ, Helm JL, Połczyńska M, McDonald CR. Bilingualism and Structural Network Organization in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Resilience in Neurologic Disease. Neurology 2023; 100:e1887-e1899. [PMID: 36854619 PMCID: PMC10159767 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000207087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES There is growing evidence that bilingualism can induce neuroplasticity and modulate neural efficiency, resulting in greater resistance to neurologic disease. However, whether bilingualism is beneficial to neural health in the presence of epilepsy is unknown. We tested whether bilingual individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have improved whole-brain structural white matter network organization. METHODS Healthy controls and individuals with TLE recruited from 2 specialized epilepsy centers completed diffusion-weighted MRI and neuropsychological testing as part of an observational cohort study. Whole-brain connectomes were generated via diffusion tractography and analyzed using graph theory. Global analyses compared network integration (path length) and specialization (transitivity) in TLE vs controls and in a 2 (left vs right TLE) × 2 (bilingual vs monolingual) model. Local analyses compared mean local efficiency of predefined frontal-executive and language (i.e., perisylvian) subnetworks. Exploratory correlations examined associations between network organization and neuropsychological performance. RESULTS A total of 29 bilingual and 88 monolingual individuals with TLE matched on several demographic and clinical variables and 81 age-matched healthy controls were included. Globally, a significant interaction between language status and side of seizure onset revealed higher network organization in bilinguals compared with monolinguals but only in left TLE (LTLE). Locally, bilinguals with LTLE showed higher efficiency in frontal-executive but not in perisylvian networks compared with LTLE monolinguals. Improved whole-brain network organization was associated with better executive function performance in bilingual but not monolingual LTLE. DISCUSSION Higher white matter network organization in bilingual individuals with LTLE suggests a neuromodulatory effect of bilingualism on whole-brain connectivity in epilepsy, providing evidence for neural reserve. This may reflect attenuation of or compensation for epilepsy-related dysfunction of the left hemisphere, potentially driven by increased efficiency of frontal-executive networks that mediate dual-language control. This highlights a potential role of bilingualism as a protective factor in epilepsy, motivating further research across neurologic disorders to define mechanisms and develop interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Stasenko
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Erik Kaestner
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Donatello Arienzo
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Adam Schadler
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Anny Reyes
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Jerry J Shih
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Jonathan L Helm
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Monika Połczyńska
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles
| | - Carrie R McDonald
- From the Center for Multimodal Imaging and Genetics (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, A.R., C.R.M.), Department of Psychiatry (A. Stasenko, E.K., D.A., A. Schadler, C.R.M.), Department of Radiation Medicine & Applied Sciences (A.R., C.R.M.), and Department of Neurosciences (J.J.S.), University of California, San Diego; Department of Psychology (J.L.H.), San Diego State University, CA; and Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences (M.P.), David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles.
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Voits T, DeLuca V, Abutalebi J. The Nuance of Bilingualism as a Reserve Contributor: Conveying Research to the Broader Neuroscience Community. Front Psychol 2022; 13:909266. [PMID: 35814120 PMCID: PMC9263506 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.909266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The neurological notion of “reserve” arises from an individually observable dissociation between brain health and cognitive status. According to the cognitive reserve hypothesis, high-reserve individuals experience functional compensation for neural atrophy and, thus, are able to maintain relatively stable cognitive functioning with no or smaller-than-expected impairment. Several lifestyle factors such as regular physical exercise, adequate and balanced nutrition, and educational attainment have been widely reported to contribute to reserve and, thus, lead to more successful trajectories of cognitive aging (CA). In recent years, it has become clear that bilingualism is also a potential reserve contributor. Yet, there is little communication between the neuroscience of bilingualism research community and researchers working in the field of CA more generally, despite compelling reasons for it. In fact, bilingualism tends to be overlooked as a contributory factor in the CA literature, or reduced to a dichotomous trait, despite it being a complex experience. Herein, we discuss issues that are preventing recognition of bilingualism as a reserve contributor across all literatures, highlight the benefits of including language experiences as a factor of interest across research disciplines, and suggest a roadmap to better integrate bilingualism and aging moving forward. We close with calls toward a model of aging that examines the contributions across lifestyle factors, including that of bilingual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toms Voits
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- *Correspondence: Toms Voits,
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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Gallo F, DeLuca V, Prystauka Y, Voits T, Rothman J, Abutalebi J. Bilingualism and Aging: Implications for (Delaying) Neurocognitive Decline. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:819105. [PMID: 35185498 PMCID: PMC8847162 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.819105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As a result of advances in healthcare, the worldwide average life expectancy is steadily increasing. However, this positive trend has societal and individual costs, not least because greater life expectancy is linked to higher incidence of age-related diseases, such as dementia. Over the past few decades, research has isolated various protective "healthy lifestyle" factors argued to contribute positively to cognitive aging, e.g., healthy diet, physical exercise and occupational attainment. The present article critically reviews neuroscientific evidence for another such factor, i.e., speaking multiple languages. Moreover, with multiple societal stakeholders in mind, we contextualize and stress the importance of the research program that seeks to uncover and understand potential connections between bilingual language experience and cognitive aging trajectories, inclusive of the socio-economic impact it can have. If on the right track, this is an important line of research because bilingualism has the potential to cross-over socio-economic divides to a degree other healthy lifestyle factors currently do not and likely cannot.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Gallo
- Centre for Cognition and Decision Making, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Yanina Prystauka
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Toms Voits
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jason Rothman
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición (CINC), University Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
- PoLaR Lab, AcqVA Aurora Centre, UiT-The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
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