1
|
Cosío-Guirado R, Tapia-Medina MG, Kaya C, Peró-Cebollero M, Villuendas-González ER, Guàrdia-Olmos J. A comprehensive systematic review of fMRI studies on brain connectivity in healthy children and adolescents: Current insights and future directions. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 69:101438. [PMID: 39153422 PMCID: PMC11381617 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
This systematic review considered evidence of children's and adolescents' typical brain connectivity development studied through resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). With aim of understanding the state of the art, what has been researched thus far and what remains unknown, this paper reviews 58 studies from 2013 to 2023. Considering the results, rs-fMRI stands out as an appropriate technique for studying language and attention within cognitive domains, and personality traits such as impulsivity and empathy. The most used analyses encompass seed-based, independent component analysis (ICA), the amplitude of the low frequency fluctuations (ALFF), and fractional ALFF (fALFF). The findings highlight key themes, including age-related changes in intrinsic connectivity, sex-specific patterns, and the relevance of the Default Mode Network (DMN). Overall, there is a need for longitudinal approaches to trace the typical developmental trajectory of neural networks from childhood through adolescence with fMRI at rest.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Cosío-Guirado
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Mérida Galilea Tapia-Medina
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ceren Kaya
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Izmir University of Economics, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Maribel Peró-Cebollero
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Joan Guàrdia-Olmos
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Complex Systems, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stevens WD, Khan N, Anderson JAE, Grady CL, Bialystok E. A neural mechanism of cognitive reserve: The case of bilingualism. Neuroimage 2023; 281:120365. [PMID: 37683809 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive Reserve (CR) refers to the preservation of cognitive function in the face of age- or disease-related neuroanatomical decline. While bilingualism has been shown to contribute to CR, the extent to which, and what particular aspect of, second language experience contributes to CR are debated, and the underlying neural mechanism(s) unknown. Intrinsic functional connectivity reflects experience-dependent neuroplasticity that occurs across timescales ranging from minutes to decades, and may be a neural mechanism underlying CR. To test this hypothesis, we used voxel-based morphometry and resting-state functional connectivity analyses of MRI data to compare structural and functional brain integrity between monolingual and bilingual older adults, matched on cognitive performance, and across levels of second language proficiency measured as a continuous variable. Bilingualism, and degree of second language proficiency specifically, were associated with lower gray matter integrity in a hub of the default mode network - a region that is particularly vulnerable to decline in aging and dementia - but preserved intrinsic functional network organization. Bilingualism moderated the association between neuroanatomical differences and cognitive decline, such that lower gray matter integrity was associated with lower executive function in monolinguals, but not bilinguals. Intrinsic functional network integrity predicted executive function when controlling for group differences in gray matter integrity and language status. Our findings confirm that lifelong bilingualism is a CR factor, as bilingual older adults performed just as well as their monolingual peers on tasks of executive function, despite showing signs of more advanced neuroanatomical aging, and that this is a consequence of preserved intrinsic functional network organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W Dale Stevens
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada.
| | - Naail Khan
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada
| | - John A E Anderson
- Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Cheryl L Grady
- Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada; Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, Canada; Rotman Research Institute at Baycrest Hospital, Toronto, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Federico F, Mellone M, Volpi F, Orsolini M. Study of Alerting, Orienting, and Executive Control Attentional Networks in Bilingual and Monolingual Primary School Children: The Role of Socioeconomic Status. Brain Sci 2023; 13:948. [PMID: 37371426 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13060948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
For decades, researchers have suggested the existence of a bilingual cognitive advantage, especially in tasks involving executive functions such as inhibition, shifting, and updating. Recently, an increasing number of studies have questioned whether bilingualism results in a change in executive functions, highlighting conflicting data published in the literature. The present study compared the performance of third-, fourth-, and fifth-grade bilingual and monolingual children on attentional and cognitive tasks. The participants were 61 monolingual and 74 bilingual children (M = 114.6 months; SD = 8.48 months) who were tested on two versions of the attention network task (ANT), with and without social stimuli, as well as tests investigating working memory, short-term memory, narrative memory, and receptive vocabulary. Data on families' socioeconomic status and children's reasoning abilities were also collected. The results showed that bilingualism and socioeconomic status affected attentional networks in tasks involving social stimuli. In tasks involving non-social stimuli, socioeconomic status only affected the alerting and executive conflict networks. Consistent with the literature, a positive relationship emerged between socioeconomic status and executive control in the context of social stimuli, and a negative relationship emerged between socioeconomic status and the alerting network in the context of non-social stimuli. Interestingly, neither socioeconomic status nor social attentional networks correlated with working memory. Therefore, although more investigations are required, the results suggest that differences in social contexts mainly affect attentional functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Federico
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 78, Via Dei Marsi, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Mellone
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 78, Via Dei Marsi, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Ferida Volpi
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 78, Via Dei Marsi, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Margherita Orsolini
- Department of Developmental and Social Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, 78, Via Dei Marsi, 00185 Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Sun X, Marks RA, Eggleston RL, Zhang K, Yu CL, Nickerson N, Caruso V, Chou TL, Hu XS, Tardif T, Booth JR, Beltz AM, Kovelman I. Sources of Heterogeneity in Functional Connectivity During English Word Processing in Bilingual and Monolingual Children. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 4:198-220. [PMID: 37229508 PMCID: PMC10205148 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Diversity and variation in language experiences, such as bilingualism, contribute to heterogeneity in children's neural organization for language and brain development. To uncover sources of such heterogeneity in children's neural language networks, the present study examined the effects of bilingual proficiency on children's neural organization for language function. To do so, we took an innovative person-specific analytical approach to investigate young Chinese-English and Spanish-English bilingual learners of structurally distinct languages. Bilingual and English monolingual children (N = 152, M(SD)age = 7.71(1.32)) completed an English word recognition task during functional near-infrared spectroscopy neuroimaging, along with language and literacy tasks in each of their languages. Two key findings emerged. First, bilinguals' heritage language proficiency (Chinese or Spanish) made a unique contribution to children's language network density. Second, the findings reveal common and unique patterns in children's patterns of task-related functional connectivity. Common across all participants were short-distance neural connections within left hemisphere regions associated with semantic processes (within middle temporal and frontal regions). Unique to more proficient language users were additional long-distance connections between frontal, temporal, and bilateral regions within the broader language network. The study informs neurodevelopmental theories of language by revealing the effects of heterogeneity in language proficiency and experiences on the structure and quality of emerging language neural networks in linguistically diverse learners.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xin Sun
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Rebecca A. Marks
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Kehui Zhang
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Chi-Lin Yu
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nia Nickerson
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Valeria Caruso
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Tai-Li Chou
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Xiao-Su Hu
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Twila Tardif
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - James R. Booth
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Adriene M. Beltz
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ioulia Kovelman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Martín-Fernández J, Gabarrós A, Fernandez-Coello A. Intraoperative Brain Mapping in Multilingual Patients: What Do We Know and Where Are We Going? Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12050560. [PMID: 35624947 PMCID: PMC9139515 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12050560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review, we evaluate the knowledge gained so far about the neural bases of multilingual language processing obtained mainly through imaging and electrical stimulation mapping (ESM). We attempt to answer some key questions about multilingualism in the light of recent literature evidence, such as the degree of anatomical–functional integration of two or more languages in a multilingual brain, how the age of L2-acquisition affects language organization in the human brain, or how the brain controls more than one language. Finally, we highlight the future trends in multilingual language mapping.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Martín-Fernández
- Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (HUNSC), Neurosurgery Section, 38010 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain;
| | - Andreu Gabarrós
- Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (HUB), Neurosurgery Section, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona—IDIBELL, 08097 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain;
| | - Alejandro Fernandez-Coello
- Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge (HUB), Neurosurgery Section, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona—IDIBELL, 08097 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain;
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), 08025 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
The influence of orthographic depth on multilinguals' neural networks. Neuropsychologia 2022; 164:108095. [PMID: 34843750 PMCID: PMC8754173 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Orthographic depth, the consistency and complexity of grapheme-phoneme correspondence, influences brain activation in multilinguals’ first (L1) and second language (L2). The intrinsic functional connectivity of cross-language transfer was investigated between two groups of multilinguals, those whose L2 orthography is deeper than their L1 (S-to-D group) and those whose L2 orthography is shallower than their L1 (D-to-S group). Based on previous reports, we focused on two seed regions: the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA) and the left posterior supramarginal gyrus (pSMG). Group comparisons revealed stronger connectivity for the D-to-S group between the left pSMG and the right precuneus/cuneal cortex and the right SMG/angular gyrus. Moreover, we found that the greater the linguistic orthographic distance—the less similar in orthographic depth two languages are—the greater the negative connectivity between the left pSMG and the right pSMG, middle frontal gyrus (MFG) and frontal pole, and a cluster that included the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) pars opercularis, frontal operculum, and insular cortex. When linguistic distance was greater, there was also greater negative connectivity between the VWFA and the left precuneus. Furthermore, stronger connectivity was found between the left pSMG and the right precuneus in multilinguals who spoke at least three languages (trilinguals) compared to those who only spoke two languages (bilinguals). Follow-up analyses revealed that this difference was driven by stronger intrinsic connectivity in D-to-S trilinguals compared to the S-to-D trilinguals. Taken together, the findings of this study suggest that multilinguals’ intrinsic functional connectivity is shaped by the orthographic depth of their L2 in relation to L1, as well as differences between bilingualism and trilingualism.
Collapse
|
7
|
Weng SM, Fang SY, Li LW, Fan X, Wang YY, Jiang T. Intra-operative mapping and language protection in glioma. Chin Med J (Engl) 2021; 134:2398-2402. [PMID: 34561323 PMCID: PMC8654440 DOI: 10.1097/cm9.0000000000001751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT The demand for acquiring different languages has increased with increasing globalization. However, knowledge of the modification of the new language in the neural language network remains insufficient. Although many details of language function have been detected based on the awake intra-operative mapping results, the language neural network of the bilingual or multilingual remains unclear, which raises difficulties in clinical practice to preserve patients' full language ability in neurosurgery. In this review, we present a summary of the current findings regarding the structure of the language network and its evolution as the number of acquired languages increased in glioma patients. We then discuss a new insight into the awake intra-operative mapping protocol to reduce surgical risks during the preservation of language function in multilingual patients with glioma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Meng Weng
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Sheng-Yu Fang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Lian-Wang Li
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Xing Fan
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Yin-Yan Wang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
| | - Tao Jiang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100070, China
- Research Unit of Accurate Diagnosis, Treatment, and Translational Medicine of Brain Tumors, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100070, China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Tao L, Wang G, Zhu M, Cai Q. Bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:264-295. [PMID: 33631315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A large body of research has indicated that bilingualism - through continual practice in language control - may impact cognitive functions, as well as relevant aspects of brain function and structure. The present review aimed to bring together findings on the relationship between bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective. The final sample included 210 studies, covering findings regarding neural responses to bilingual language control and/or domain-general cognitive tasks, as well as findings regarding effects of bilingualism on non-task-related brain function and brain structure. The evidence indicates that a) bilingual language control likely entails neural mechanisms responsible for domain-general cognitive functions; b) bilingual experiences impact neural responses to domain-general cognitive functions; and c) bilingual experiences impact non-task-related brain function (both resting-state and metabolic function) as well as aspects of brain structure (both macrostructure and microstructure), each of which may in turn impact mental processes, including domain-general cognitive functions. Such functional and structural neuroplasticity associated with bilingualism may contribute to both cognitive and neural reserves, producing benefits across the lifespan.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lily Tao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Gongting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Qing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China; Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, China; NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Teubner-Rhodes S. Cognitive Persistence and Executive Function in the Multilingual Brain During Aging. Front Psychol 2020; 11:568702. [PMID: 33013606 PMCID: PMC7494780 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.568702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers have debated the extent to which the experience of speaking more than two languages induces long-term neuroplasticity that protects multilinguals from the adverse cognitive effects of aging. In this review, I propose a novel theory that multilingualism affects cognitive persistence, the application of effort to improve performance on challenging tasks. I review recent evidence demonstrating that the cingulo-opercular network, consisting of the bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), supports cognitive persistence. I then show that this same network is involved in multilingual language control and changes with multilingual language experience. While both early and late multilinguals exhibit differences in the cingulo-opercular network compared to monolinguals, I find that early multilinguals have a pattern of decreased dACC activity and increased left IFG activity that may enable more efficient cognitive control, whereas late multilinguals show larger dACC responses to conflict that may be associated with higher cognitive persistence. I further demonstrate that multilingual effects on the cingulo-opercular network are present in older adults and have been implicated in the mitigation of cognitive symptoms in age-related neurodegenerative disorders. Finally, I argue that mixed results in the literature are due, in part, to the confound between cognitive persistence and ability in most executive function tasks, and I provide guidance for separating these processes in future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan Teubner-Rhodes
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
The effect of bilingualism on brain development from early childhood to young adulthood. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:2131-2152. [PMID: 32691216 PMCID: PMC7473972 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02115-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bilingualism affects the structure of the brain in adults, as evidenced by experience-dependent grey and white matter changes in brain structures implicated in language learning, processing, and control. However, limited evidence exists on how bilingualism may influence brain development. We examined the developmental patterns of both grey and white matter structures in a cross-sectional study of a large sample (n = 711 for grey matter, n = 637 for white matter) of bilingual and monolingual participants, aged 3–21 years. Metrics of grey matter (thickness, volume, and surface area) and white matter (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity) were examined across 41 cortical and subcortical brain structures and 20 tracts, respectively. We used generalized additive modelling to analyze whether, how, and where the developmental trajectories of bilinguals and monolinguals might differ. Bilingual and monolingual participants manifested distinct developmental trajectories in both grey and white matter structures. As compared to monolinguals, bilinguals showed: (a) more grey matter (less developmental loss) starting during late childhood and adolescence, mainly in frontal and parietal regions (particularly in the inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis, superior frontal cortex, inferior and superior parietal cortex, and precuneus); and (b) higher white matter integrity (greater developmental increase) starting during mid-late adolescence, specifically in striatal–inferior frontal fibers. The data suggest that there may be a developmental basis to the well-documented structural differences in the brain between bilingual and monolingual adults.
Collapse
|
11
|
Goksan S, Argyri F, Clayden JD, Liegeois F, Wei L. Early childhood bilingualism: effects on brain structure and function. F1000Res 2020; 9:370. [PMID: 32528666 PMCID: PMC7262573 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.23216.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 03/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Growing up in a bilingual environment is becoming increasingly common. Yet, we know little about how this enriched language environment influences the connectivity of children's brains. Behavioural research in children and adults has shown that bilingualism experience may boost executive control (EC) skills, such as inhibitory control and attention. Moreover, increased structural and functional (resting-state) connectivity in language-related and EC-related brain networks is associated with increased executive control in bilingual adults. However, how bilingualism factors alter brain connectivity early in brain development remains poorly understood. We will combine standardised tests of attention with structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in bilingual children. This study will allow us to address an important field of inquiry within linguistics and developmental cognitive neuroscience by examining the following questions: Does bilingual experience modulate connectivity in language-related and EC-related networks in children? Do differences in resting-state brain connectivity correlate with differences in EC skills (specifically attention skills)? How do bilingualism-related factors, such as age of exposure to two languages, language usage and proficiency, modulate brain connectivity? We will collect structural and functional MRI, and quantitative measures of EC and language skills from two groups of English-Greek bilingual children - 20 simultaneous bilinguals (exposure to both languages from birth) and 20 successive bilinguals (exposure to English between the ages of 3 and 5 years) - and 20 English monolingual children, 8-10 years old. We will compare connectivity measures and attention skills between monolinguals and bilinguals to examine the effects of bilingual exposure. We will also examine to what extent bilingualism factors predict brain connectivity in EC and language networks. Overall, we hypothesize that connectivity and EC will be enhanced in bilingual children compared to monolingual children, and each outcome will be modulated by age of exposure to two languages and by bilingual language usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sezgi Goksan
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Froso Argyri
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Clayden
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Frederique Liegeois
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Li Wei
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Goksan S, Argyri F, Clayden JD, Liegeois F, Wei L. Early childhood bilingualism: effects on brain structure and function. F1000Res 2020; 9:370. [PMID: 32528666 PMCID: PMC7262573 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.23216.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing up in a bilingual environment is becoming increasingly common. Yet, we know little about how this enriched language environment influences the connectivity of children's brains. Behavioural research in children and adults has shown that bilingualism experience may boost executive control (EC) skills, such as inhibitory control and attention. Moreover, increased structural and functional (resting-state) connectivity in language-related and EC-related brain networks is associated with increased executive control in bilingual adults. However, how bilingualism factors alter brain connectivity early in brain development remains poorly understood. We will combine standardised tests of attention with structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in bilingual children. This study will allow us to address an important field of inquiry within linguistics and developmental cognitive neuroscience by examining the following questions: Does bilingual experience modulate connectivity in language-related and EC-related networks in children? Do differences in resting-state brain connectivity correlate with differences in EC skills (specifically attention skills)? How do bilingualism-related factors, such as age of exposure to two languages, language usage and proficiency, modulate brain connectivity? We will collect structural and functional MRI, and quantitative measures of EC and language skills from two groups of English-Greek bilingual children - 20 simultaneous bilinguals (exposure to both languages from birth) and 20 successive bilinguals (exposure to English between the ages of 3 and 5 years) - and 20 English monolingual children, 8-10 years old. We will compare connectivity measures and attention skills between monolinguals and bilinguals to examine the effects of bilingual exposure. We will also examine to what extent bilingualism factors predict brain connectivity in EC and language networks. Overall, we hypothesize that connectivity and EC will be enhanced in bilingual children compared to monolingual children, and each outcome will be modulated by age of exposure to two languages and by bilingual language usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sezgi Goksan
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Froso Argyri
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
| | - Jonathan D. Clayden
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Frederique Liegeois
- Developmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Li Wei
- Centre for Applied Linguistics, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London, WC1H 0AL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Reynolds JE, Long X, Paniukov D, Bagshawe M, Lebel C. Calgary Preschool magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) dataset. Data Brief 2020; 29:105224. [PMID: 32071993 PMCID: PMC7016255 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The Calgary Preschool MRI Dataset in the Developmental Neuroimaging Lab at the University of Calgary uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to study brain structure and function in early childhood [1-3]. The dataset aims to characterise brain development in early childhood (2-8 years), and to understand links to cognitive and behavioral development, as well as provide a baseline from which to identify atypical development in children with diseases, disorders, or brain injuries. MRI data are provided for 126 children (61 males, 65 females). Children ranged from 1.95 to 6.22 years (mean = 3.98 ± 1.06 years) at the time of their first scan and were initially scanned at six month intervals, and now continue to be followed annually (1-20 scans per child, 431 total datasets; datasets do not always have all scan modalities available). All MRI scans were acquired on the same General Electric 3T MR750w system and 32-channel head coil (GE, Waukesha, WI) at the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary, Canada. The MRI protocols provided in this dataset include: T1-weighted images acquired using a FSPGR BRAVO sequence; arterial spin labeling (ASL) images acquired with the vendor supplied pseudo continuous 3D ASL sequence; diffusion tensor imaging data acquired using single shot spin echo echo-planar imaging; and passive viewing resting state functional MRI data acquired with a gradient-echo echo-planar imaging sequence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jess E Reynolds
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4, AB, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Xiangyu Long
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4, AB, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Dmitrii Paniukov
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4, AB, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Mercedes Bagshawe
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4, AB, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Catherine Lebel
- Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, T2N 1N4, AB, Canada.,Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Owerko Centre, Alberta Children Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Seghier ML, Fahim MA, Habak C. Educational fMRI: From the Lab to the Classroom. Front Psychol 2019; 10:2769. [PMID: 31866920 PMCID: PMC6909003 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional MRI (fMRI) findings hold many potential applications for education, and yet, the translation of fMRI findings to education has not flowed. Here, we address the types of fMRI that could better support applications of neuroscience to the classroom. This 'educational fMRI' comprises eight main challenges: (1) collecting artifact-free fMRI data in school-aged participants and in vulnerable young populations, (2) investigating heterogenous cohorts with wide variability in learning abilities and disabilities, (3) studying the brain under natural and ecological conditions, given that many practical topics of interest for education can be addressed only in ecological contexts, (4) depicting complex age-dependent associations of brain and behaviour with multi-modal imaging, (5) assessing changes in brain function related to developmental trajectories and instructional intervention with longitudinal designs, (6) providing system-level mechanistic explanations of brain function, so that useful individualized predictions about learning can be generated, (7) reporting negative findings, so that resources are not wasted on developing ineffective interventions, and (8) sharing data and creating large-scale longitudinal data repositories to ensure transparency and reproducibility of fMRI findings for education. These issues are of paramount importance to the development of optimal fMRI practices for educational applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed L Seghier
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohamed A Fahim
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Claudine Habak
- Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Kousaie S, Baum S, Phillips NA, Gracco V, Titone D, Chen JK, Chai XJ, Klein D. Language learning experience and mastering the challenges of perceiving speech in noise. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 196:104645. [PMID: 31284145 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Given the ubiquity of noisy environments and increasing globalization, the necessity to perceive speech in noise in a non-native language is common and necessary for successful communication. In the current investigation, bilingual individuals who learned their non-native language at different ages underwent magnetic resonance imaging while listening to sentences in both of their languages, in quiet and in noise. Sentence context was varied such that the final word could be of high or low predictability. Results show that early non-native language learning is associated with superior ability to benefit from contextual information behaviourally, and a pattern of neural recruitment in the left inferior frontal gyrus that suggests easier processing when perceiving non-native speech in noise. These findings have implications for our understanding of speech processing in non-optimal listening conditions and shed light on how individuals navigate every day complex communicative environments, in a native and non-native language.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shanna Kousaie
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada.
| | - Shari Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Natalie A Phillips
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada; Department of Psychology/Centre for Research in Human Development, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B 1R6, Canada; Bloomfield Centre for Research in Aging, Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and Jewish General Hospital/McGill University Memory Clinic, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Debra Titone
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada; Department of Psychology, McGill University Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Jen-Kai Chen
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Xiaoqian J Chai
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Denise Klein
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language and Music, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|