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Yang M, Liu Y, Yue Z, Yang G, Jiang X, Cai Y, Zhang Y, Yang X, Li D, Chen L. Transcranial photobiomodulation on the left inferior frontal gyrus enhances Mandarin Chinese L1 and L2 complex sentence processing performances. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2024; 256:105458. [PMID: 39197357 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2024.105458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
This study investigated the causal enhancing effect of transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) over the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) on syntactically complex Mandarin Chinese first language (L1) and second language (L2) sentence processing performances. Two (L1 and L2) groups of participants (thirty per group) were recruited to receive the double-blind, sham-controlled tPBM intervention via LIFG, followed by the sentence processing, the verbal working memory (WM), and the visual WM tasks. Results revealed a consistent pattern for both groups: (a) tPBM enhanced sentence processing performance but not verbal WM for linear processing of unstructured sequences and visual WM performances; (b) Participants with lower sentence processing performances under sham tPBM benefited more from active tPBM. Taken together, the current study substantiated that tPBM enhanced L1 and L2 sentence processing, and would serve as a promising and cost-effective noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) tool for future applications on upregulating the human language faculty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingchuan Yang
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhaoqian Yue
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xu Jiang
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yimin Cai
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yuqi Zhang
- School of Chinese as a Second Language, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiujie Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Dongwei Li
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai 519087, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Applied Experimental Psychology, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Psychology Education (Beijing Normal University), Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Luyao Chen
- Max Planck Partner Group, School of International Chinese Language Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Department of Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Educational System Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
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2
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Bialystok E. Bilingualism modifies cognition through adaptation, not transfer. Trends Cogn Sci 2024:S1364-6613(24)00199-2. [PMID: 39164150 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2024.07.012] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/30/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
The standard explanation for bilingual effects on cognition is that an aspect of language processing transfers to nonverbal cognitive performance, leading to improvements in executive functioning. However, much evidence is incompatible with that view, and transfer across those domains seems unlikely. The present argument is that bilingual experience modifies cognition through an adaptation to the underlying attention system, making attention more efficient. 'Transfer' focuses on the overlap of specific processes, so task similarity predicts outcomes. By contrast, 'adaptation' focuses on recruitment of the modified resource, so the degree of attention required predicts outcome. In this view, bilinguals require less attentional effort than monolinguals for similar levels of performance, and outperform monolinguals on tasks with high attention demands regardless of task similarity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada.
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3
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Schiltz C, Lachelin R, Hilger V, Marinova M. Thinking about numbers in different tongues: An overview of the influences of multilingualism on numerical and mathematical competencies. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2024:10.1007/s00426-024-01997-y. [PMID: 39060519 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-01997-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
In an increasingly multilingual and multicultural world, understanding the interactions between language and mathematics is critical, especially when individuals must acquire and exercise their mathematical competencies in multiple languages. Indeed, research shows that, overall, L2 language learners are at an academic disadvantage compared to their L1 peers. The current article briefly overviews how multilingualism influences basic and advanced mathematical skills and interacts with mathematical learning difficulties. We first outline the traditional cognitive models of number learning and language processing. We then discuss the particularities of multilingualism and how it impacts numerical skills such as counting and building lexical-semantic associations, transcoding and arithmetic, mathematical word problems and mathematical performance tests, and dyscalculia diagnosis. We end this review by outlining challenges, recommendations, and solutions for multilingual educational settings. The article is intended as a guide for numerical cognition researchers who work with diverse populations and for mathematics educators and educational policy-makers facing the challenges of a multilingual classroom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Schiltz
- Institute of Cognitive Science and Assessment, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - Rémy Lachelin
- Institute of Cognitive Science and Assessment, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Vera Hilger
- Institute of Cognitive Science and Assessment, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Luxembourg Centre for Educational Testing, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | - Mila Marinova
- Institute of Cognitive Science and Assessment, Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Belval Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Brain and Cognition, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Kortrijk, Belgium
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4
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Baciu M, Roger E. Finding the Words: How Does the Aging Brain Process Language? A Focused Review of Brain Connectivity and Compensatory Pathways. Top Cogn Sci 2024. [PMID: 38734967 DOI: 10.1111/tops.12736] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
As people age, there is a natural decline in cognitive functioning and brain structure. However, the relationship between brain function and cognition in older adults is neither straightforward nor uniform. Instead, it is complex, influenced by multiple factors, and can vary considerably from one person to another. Reserve, compensation, and maintenance mechanisms may help explain why some older adults can maintain high levels of performance while others struggle. These mechanisms are often studied concerning memory and executive functions that are particularly sensitive to the effects of aging. However, language abilities can also be affected by age, with changes in production fluency. The impact of brain changes on language abilities needs to be further investigated to understand the dynamics and patterns of aging, especially successful aging. We previously modeled several compensatory profiles of language production and lexical access/retrieval in aging within the Lexical Access and Retrieval in Aging (LARA) model. In the present paper, we propose an extended version of the LARA model, called LARA-Connectivity (LARA-C), incorporating recent evidence on brain connectivity. Finally, we discuss factors that may influence the strategies implemented with aging. The LARA-C model can serve as a framework to understand individual performance and open avenues for possible personalized interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Baciu
- LPNC, Psychology Department, Grenoble Alps University
- Neurology Department, Grenoble Alps University Hospital
| | - Elise Roger
- LPNC, Psychology Department, Grenoble Alps University
- Communication and Aging Laboratory, Research Center of the University Institute of Geriatrics of Montreal
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal
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5
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Yang T, Yang Y. How Mandarin-English bilinguals interpret qián/ forward: impact of language proficiencies on retrieval of temporal concepts. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1370605. [PMID: 38774718 PMCID: PMC11106470 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1370605] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Mandarin qián and English forward are semantically equivalent in the domain of Space, but could be semantically opposite in the domain of Time. In other words, equivalent spatial lexical items could convey opposite temporal concepts. What temporal concepts conveyed by qián and forward would be retrieved by Mandarin-English (M-E) bilinguals with different language proficiencies? Drawing a sample from college students in Mainland China, this study examines how L1 and L2 proficiencies would affect M-E bilinguals' retrieval of temporal concepts by examining their interpretation of the Mandarin temporal metaphor of qián and the English temporal metaphors of forward. The results show that L1 temporal concepts would be retrieved more frequently than L2 temporal concepts regardless of the testing languages, that L1 and L2 proficiencies were not predictors for the way of interpretation, and that the higher L2 proficiency group could retrieve temporal concepts in line with the testing languages with higher accuracy than the lower L2 proficiency group. The findings suggest that bilinguals with higher L2 proficiency may be able to represent temporal concepts with language tags or may have an attentional and/or inhibitory control advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengji Yang
- Foreign Studies College, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Ying Yang
- Department of Psychology, School of Education Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
- Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
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6
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Wang G, Tao L. Bilingual Language Control in the Brain: Evidence from Structural and Effective Functional Brain Connectivity. J Cogn Neurosci 2024; 36:836-853. [PMID: 38357989 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_02128] [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] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Experience in bilingual language control is often accompanied by changes in the structure and function of the brain. Brain structural changes are also often closely related to changes in functions. Previous studies, however, have not directly explored the relationship between structural connectivity and effective functional connectivity of the brain during bilingual language control, and whether the two types of connectivity are associated with behavioral performance of language control. Using behavioral performance, functional, and diffusion imaging techniques, we found that: (1) during language control, the left dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), left caudate nucleus (CN), inferior parietal lobe, precuneus, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC)/pre-SMA were significantly activated. (2) In the language control model with left dlPFC, dACC/pre-SMA, and left CN as ROIs (selected based on activation results and language control models from previous studies), stimuli first enter dACC/pre-SMA and then to left CN. At the left CN, a bidirectional effective connectivity is formed with left dlPFC. (3) There is a nonlinear relationship between effective connectivity during language control and the structural connectivity of the second language learners' brains. Specifically, the fiber density between dACC/pre-SMA and left dlPFC has a positive influence on the bidirectional effective connectivity between left dlPFC and left CN. Findings of the present study contribute evidence toward functional effective connectivity during bilingual language control; toward structural connectivity in the brains of second language learners; as well as toward nonlinear relationships between functional effective connectivity, structural connectivity, and behavioral performance in relation to bilingual language control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gongting Wang
- East China Normal University
- Freie Universität Berlin
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7
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Menks WM, Ekerdt C, Lemhöfer K, Kidd E, Fernández G, McQueen JM, Janzen G. Developmental changes in brain activation during novel grammar learning in 8-25-year-olds. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 66:101347. [PMID: 38277712 PMCID: PMC10839867 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101347] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While it is well established that grammar learning success varies with age, the cause of this developmental change is largely unknown. This study examined functional MRI activation across a broad developmental sample of 165 Dutch-speaking individuals (8-25 years) as they were implicitly learning a new grammatical system. This approach allowed us to assess the direct effects of age on grammar learning ability while exploring its neural correlates. In contrast to the alleged advantage of children language learners over adults, we found that adults outperformed children. Moreover, our behavioral data showed a sharp discontinuity in the relationship between age and grammar learning performance: there was a strong positive linear correlation between 8 and 15.4 years of age, after which age had no further effect. Neurally, our data indicate two important findings: (i) during grammar learning, adults and children activate similar brain regions, suggesting continuity in the neural networks that support initial grammar learning; and (ii) activation level is age-dependent, with children showing less activation than older participants. We suggest that these age-dependent processes may constrain developmental effects in grammar learning. The present study provides new insights into the neural basis of age-related differences in grammar learning in second language acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- W M Menks
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
| | - C Ekerdt
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - K Lemhöfer
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - E Kidd
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia; School of Literature, Languages, and Linguistics, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - G Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - J M McQueen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - G Janzen
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University and Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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8
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Amoruso L, García AM, Pusil S, Timofeeva P, Quiñones I, Carreiras M. Decoding bilingualism from resting-state oscillatory network organization. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1534:106-117. [PMID: 38419368 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15113] [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] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Can lifelong bilingualism be robustly decoded from intrinsic brain connectivity? Can we determine, using a spectrally resolved approach, the oscillatory networks that better predict dual-language experience? We recorded resting-state magnetoencephalographic activity in highly proficient Spanish-Basque bilinguals and Spanish monolinguals, calculated functional connectivity at canonical frequency bands, and derived topological network properties using graph analysis. These features were fed into a machine learning classifier to establish how robustly they discriminated between the groups. The model showed excellent classification (AUC: 0.91 ± 0.12) between individuals in each group. The key drivers of classification were network strength in beta (15-30 Hz) and delta (2-4 Hz) rhythms. Further characterization of these networks revealed the involvement of temporal, cingulate, and fronto-parietal hubs likely underpinning the language and default-mode networks (DMNs). Complementary evidence from a correlation analysis showed that the top-ranked features that better discriminated individuals during rest also explained interindividual variability in second language (L2) proficiency within bilinguals, further supporting the robustness of the machine learning model in capturing trait-like markers of bilingualism. Overall, our results show that long-term experience with an L2 can be "brain-read" at a fine-grained level from resting-state oscillatory network organization, highlighting its pervasive impact, particularly within language and DMN networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Amoruso
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adolfo M García
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Departamento de Lingüística y Literatura, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sandra Pusil
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Polina Timofeeva
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ileana Quiñones
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
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9
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Wolna A, Szewczyk J, Diaz M, Domagalik A, Szwed M, Wodniecka Z. Domain-general and language-specific contributions to speech production in a second language: an fMRI study using functional localizers. Sci Rep 2024; 14:57. [PMID: 38168139 PMCID: PMC10761726 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49375-9] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
For bilinguals, speaking in a second language (L2) compared to the native language (L1) is usually more difficult. In this study we asked whether the difficulty in L2 production reflects increased demands imposed on domain-general or core language mechanisms. We compared the brain response to speech production in L1 and L2 within two functionally-defined networks in the brain: the Multiple Demand (MD) network and the language network. We found that speech production in L2 was linked to a widespread increase of brain activity in the domain-general MD network. The language network did not show a similarly robust differences in processing speech in the two languages, however, we found increased response to L2 production in the language-specific portion of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). To further explore our results, we have looked at domain-general and language-specific response within the brain structures postulated to form a Bilingual Language Control (BLC) network. Within this network, we found a robust increase in response to L2 in the domain-general, but also in some language-specific voxels including in the left IFG. Our findings show that L2 production strongly engages domain-general mechanisms, but only affects language sensitive portions of the left IFG. These results put constraints on the current model of bilingual language control by precisely disentangling the domain-general and language-specific contributions to the difficulty in speech production in L2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Wolna
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Jakub Szewczyk
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland
- Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michele Diaz
- Social, Life, and Engineering Sciences Imaging Center, The Pennsylvania State University, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Marcin Szwed
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland
| | - Zofia Wodniecka
- Institute of Psychology, Jagiellonian University, Ul. Ingardena 6, 30-060, Kraków, Poland.
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10
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Tang X, Zhang J, Liu L, Yang M, Li S, Chen J, Ma Y, Zhang J, Liu H, Lu C, Ding G. Distinct brain state dynamics of native and second language processing during narrative listening in late bilinguals. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120359. [PMID: 37661079 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120359] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of complex cognition, which includes language processing, is dynamic in nature and involves various network modes or cognitive modes. This dynamic process can be manifested by a set of brain states and transitions between them. Previous neuroimaging studies have shed light on how bilingual brains support native language (L1) and second language (L2) through a shared network. However, the mechanism through which this shared brain network enables L1 and L2 processing remains unknown. This study examined this issue by testing the hypothesis that L1 and L2 processing is associated with distinct brain state dynamics in terms of brain state integration and transition flexibility. A group of late Chinese-English bilinguals was scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while listening to eight short narratives in Chinese (L1) and English (L2). Brain state dynamics were modeled using the leading eigenvector dynamic analysis framework. The results show that L1 processing involves more integrated states and frequent transitions between integrated and segregated states, while L2 processing involves more segregated states and fewer transitions. Our work provides insight into the dynamic process of narrative listening comprehension in late bilinguals and sheds new light on the neural representation of language processing and related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangrong Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Juan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Beijing Institute of Graphic Communication, Beijing 102600, China
| | - Lanfang Liu
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai 519087, China; Center for Cognition and Neuroergonomics, State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai 519087, China.
| | - Menghan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH 03755, USA
| | - Shijie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jie Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Yumeng Ma
- Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK; Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta GA 30322, USA
| | - Jia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; School of Psychology, Beijing Language and Culture University, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Haiyi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Chunming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
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11
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Achaa-Amankwaa P, Kushnereva E, Miksch H, Stumme J, Heim S, Ebersbach M. Multilingualism is associated with small task-specific advantages in cognitive performance of older adults. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16912. [PMID: 37805638 PMCID: PMC10560281 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43961-7] [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: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The protective effects of multiple language knowledge on the maintenance of cognitive functions in older adults have been discussed controversially, among others, because of methodological inconsistencies between studies. In a sample of N = 528 German monolinguals and multilinguals (speaking two or more languages) older than 60 years, this study examined (1) whether speaking multiple languages is positively related to performance on tasks of interference suppression, working memory, concept shifting, and phonemic and semantic fluency, and (2) whether language proficiency and age of second language acquisition (AoA) are associated with cognitive performance of multilinguals. Controlling for education and daily activity, we found small cognitive benefits of speaking multiple languages on interference suppression, working memory, and phonemic fluency, but not on concept shifting and semantic fluency. Furthermore, no substantive correlations were found between language proficiency or AoA and cognitive performance. In conclusion, multilingualism appears to have small incremental effects on cognitive performance beyond education and daily activity in older age that are task-specific and widely independent of proficiency and AoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscilla Achaa-Amankwaa
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany.
| | - Ekaterina Kushnereva
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Hanna Miksch
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Anatomy I, Medical Faculty & University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Mirjam Ebersbach
- Institute of Psychology, University of Kassel, Holländische Strasse 36-38, 34127, Kassel, Germany
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12
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Peitz K, Stumme J, Jockwitz C, Bittner N, Caspers S, Heim S. The influence of bilingualism on gray matter volume in the course of aging: a longitudinal study. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1193283. [PMID: 37547741 PMCID: PMC10400456 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1193283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bilingualism is associated with higher gray matter volume (GMV) as a form of brain reserve in brain regions such as the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). A recent cross-sectional study reported the age-related GMV decline in the left IFG and IPL to be steeper for bilinguals than for monolinguals. The present study aimed at supporting this finding for the first time with longitudinal data. Methods In the current study, 200 participants aged 19 to 79 years (87 monolinguals, 113 sequential bilinguals, mostly native German speakers with variable second language background) were included. Trajectories of GMV decline in the bilateral IFG and IPL were analyzed in mono- and bilinguals over two time points (mean time interval: 3.6 years). For four regions of interest (left/right IFG and left/right IPL), mixed Analyses of Covariance were conducted to assess (i) GMV changes over time, (ii) GMV differences for language groups (monolinguals/bilinguals), and (iii) the interaction between time point and language group. Corresponding analyses were conducted for the two factors of GMV, surface area (SA) and cortical thickness (CT). Results There was higher GMV in bilinguals compared to monolinguals in the IPL, but not IFG. While the left and right IFG and the right IPL displayed a similar GMV change in mono- and bilinguals, GMV decline within the left IPL was significantly steeper in bilinguals. There was greater SA in bilinguals in the bilateral IPL and a steeper CT decline in bilinguals within in the left IPL. Conclusion The cross-sectional observations of a steeper GMV decline in bilinguals could be confirmed for the left IPL. Additionally, the higher GMV in bilinguals in the bilateral IPL may indicate that bilingualism contributes to brain reserve especially in posterior brain regions. SA appeared to contribute to bilinguals' higher GMV in the bilateral IPL, while CT seemed to account for the steeper structural decline in bilinguals in the left IPL. The present findings demonstrate the importance of time as an additional factor when assessing the neuroprotective effects of bilingualism on structural features of the human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Peitz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Johanna Stumme
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Christiane Jockwitz
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nora Bittner
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Svenja Caspers
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute for Anatomy I, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Heim
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-1), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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13
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Timofeeva P, Quiñones I, Geng S, de Bruin A, Carreiras M, Amoruso L. Behavioral and oscillatory signatures of switch costs in highly proficient bilinguals. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7725. [PMID: 37173436 PMCID: PMC10176297 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-34895-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilinguals with a high proficiency in their first (L1) and second language (L2) often show comparable reaction times when switching from their L1 to L2 and vice-versa ("symmetrical switch costs"). However, the neurophysiological signatures supporting this effect are not well understood. Here, we ran two separate experiments and assessed behavioral and MEG responses in highly proficient Spanish-Basque bilinguals while they overtly name pictures in a mixed-language context. In the behavioral experiment, bilinguals were slower when naming items in switch relative to non-switch trials, and this switch cost was comparable for both languages (symmetrical). The MEG experiment mimicked the behavioral one, with switch trials showing more desynchronization than non-switch trials across languages (symmetric neural cost) in the alpha band (8-13 Hz). Source-localization revealed the engagement of right parietal and premotor areas, which have been linked to language selection and inhibitory control; and of the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL), a cross-linguistic region housing conceptual knowledge that generalizes across languages. Our results suggest that highly proficient bilinguals implement a language-independent mechanism, supported by alpha oscillations, which is involved in cue-based language selection and facilitates conceptually-driven lexical access in the ATL, possibly by inhibiting non-target lexical items or disinhibiting target ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Timofeeva
- BCBL, Basque Center On Brain, Language and Cognition, Paseo Mikeletegi 69, 2nd floor, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 20009, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ileana Quiñones
- BCBL, Basque Center On Brain, Language and Cognition, Paseo Mikeletegi 69, 2nd floor, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Shuang Geng
- BCBL, Basque Center On Brain, Language and Cognition, Paseo Mikeletegi 69, 2nd floor, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 20009, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Angela de Bruin
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- BCBL, Basque Center On Brain, Language and Cognition, Paseo Mikeletegi 69, 2nd floor, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), 20009, San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48940, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Lucia Amoruso
- BCBL, Basque Center On Brain, Language and Cognition, Paseo Mikeletegi 69, 2nd floor, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain.
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48940, Bilbao, Spain.
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14
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Zhang R, Wang J, Lin H, Turk-Browne NB, Cai Q. Neural signatures of second language proficiency in narrative processing. Cereb Cortex 2023:7143624. [PMID: 37100085 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Making sense of speech in a second language relies on multiple abilities. Differences in brain activity related to proficiency in language tasks have often been attributed to processing demands. However, during naturalistic narrative comprehension, listeners at different proficiency levels may form different representations of the same speech. We hypothesized that the intersubject synchronization of these representations could be used to measure second-language proficiency. Using a searchlight-shared response model, we found highly proficient participants showed synchronization in regions similar to those of native speakers, including in the default mode network and the lateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, participants with low proficiency showed more synchronization in auditory cortex and word-level semantic processing areas in the temporal lobe. Moderate proficiency showed the greatest neural diversity, suggesting lower consistency in the source of this partial proficiency. Based on these synchronization differences, we were able to classify the proficiency level or predict behavioral performance on an independent English test in held-out participants, suggesting the identified neural systems represented proficiency-sensitive information that was generalizable to other individuals. These findings suggest higher second-language proficiency leads to more native-like neural processing of naturalistic language, including in systems beyond the cognitive control network or the core language network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqing Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Learning and Cognitive Science, LAIX Inc, Shanghai 200090, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Hui Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Learning and Cognitive Science, LAIX Inc, Shanghai 200090, China
| | - Nicholas B Turk-Browne
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, 2 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Qing Cai
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (Ministry of Education), Affiliated Mental Health Center (ECNU), Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Technology, Shanghai 201210, China
- NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai 200126, China
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15
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Gosselin L, Sabourin L. Language athletes: Dual-language code-switchers exhibit inhibitory control advantages. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1150159. [PMID: 37063556 PMCID: PMC10102468 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1150159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have begun to examine bilingual cognition from more nuanced, experienced-based perspectives. The present study adds to this body of work by investigating the potential impact of code-switching on bilinguals’ inhibitory control abilities. Crucially, our bilingual participants originated from a predominantly dual-language environment, the interactional context which is believed to require (and therefore, potentially train) cognitive control processes related to goal-monitoring and inhibition. As such, 266 French Canadian bilinguals completed an online experiment wherein they were asked to complete a domain-general (Flanker) and a language-specific (bilingual Stroop) inhibitory control task, as well as extensive demographic and language background questionnaires. Stepwise multiple regressions (including various potential demographic and linguistic predictors) were conducted on the participants’ Flanker and Stroop effects. The results indicated that the bilinguals’ propensity to code-switch consistently yielded significant positive (but unidirectional) inhibitory control effects: dual-language bilinguals who reported more habitual French-to-English switching exhibited better goal-monitoring and inhibition abilities. For the language-specific task, the analysis also revealed that frequent unintentional code-switching may mitigate these inhibition skills. As such, the findings demonstrate that dual-language code-switchers may experience inhibitory control benefits, but only when their switching is self-reportedly deliberate. We conclude that the bilinguals’ interactional context is thus of primary importance, as the dual-language context is more conducive to intentional code-switching. Overall, the current study highlights the importance of considering individualistic language experience when it comes to examining potential bilingual executive functioning advantages.
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16
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"Neural dynamics supporting longitudinal plasticity of action naming across languages: MEG evidence from bilingual brain tumor patients". Neuropsychologia 2023; 181:108494. [PMID: 36708918 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108494] [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: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Previous evidence suggests that distinct ventral and dorsal streams respectively underpin the semantic processing of object and action knowledge. Recently, we found that brain tumor patients with dorsal gliomas in frontoparietal hubs show a selective longitudinal compensation (post-vs. pre-surgery) during the retrieval of lexico-semantic information about actions (but not objects), indexed by power increases in beta rhythms (13-28 Hz). Here, we move one-step further and ask whether a similar organizational principle also stands across the different languages a bilingual speaks. To test this hypothesis, we combined a picture-naming task with MEG recordings and evaluated highly proficient Spanish-Basque bilinguals undergoing surgery for tumor resection in left frontoparietal regions. We assessed patients before and three months after surgery. At the behavioral level, we observed a similar performance across sessions irrespectively of the language at use, suggesting overall successful function preservation. At the oscillatory level, we found longitudinal selective power increases in beta for action naming in Spanish and Basque. Nevertheless, tumor resection triggered a differential reorganization of the L1 and the L2, with the latter one additionally recruiting the right hemisphere. Overall, our results provide evidence for (i) the specific involvement of frontoparietal regions in the semantic retrieval/representation of action knowledge across languages; (ii) a key role of beta oscillations as a signature of language compensation and (iii) the existence of divergent plasticity trajectories in L1 and L2 after surgery. By doing so, they provide new insights into the spectro-temporal dynamics supporting postoperative recovery in the bilingual brain.
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17
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Korenar M, Treffers-Daller J, Pliatsikas C. Dynamic effects of bilingualism on brain structure map onto general principles of experience-based neuroplasticity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3428. [PMID: 36854883 PMCID: PMC9974958 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30326-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been linked to structural adaptations of subcortical brain regions that are important for controlling multiple languages. However, research on the location and extent of these adaptations has yielded variable patterns, especially as far as the subcortical regions are concerned. Existing literature on bilingualism-induced brain restructuring has so far largely overseen evidence from other domains showing that experience-based structural neuroplasticity often triggers non-linear adaptations which follow expansion-renormalisation trajectories. Here we use generalised additive mixed models to investigate the non-linear effects of quantified bilingual experiences on the basal ganglia and the thalamus in a sample of bilinguals with a wide range of bilingual experiences. Our results revealed that volumes of the bilateral caudate nucleus and nucleus accumbens were significantly related to bilingual experiences. Importantly, these followed a non-linear pattern, with increases followed by plateauing in the most experienced bilinguals, suggesting that experience-based volumetric increases are only necessary up to a certain level of bilingual experience. Moreover, the volumes of putamen and thalamus were positively predicted by bilingual experiences. The results offer the first direct evidence that bilingualism, similarly to other cognitively demanding skills, leads to dynamic subcortical structural adaptations which can be nonlinear, in line with expansion-renormalisation models of experience-dependent neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Korenar
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication, Department of Dutch Studies, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.12380.380000 0004 1754 9227Alzheimer Center Amsterdam, Neurology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam UMC location VUmc, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,grid.9435.b0000 0004 0457 9566School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - J. Treffers-Daller
- grid.9435.b0000 0004 0457 9566Department of English Language and Applied Linguistics, University of Reading, Reading, UK
| | - C. Pliatsikas
- grid.9435.b0000 0004 0457 9566School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, UK ,grid.464701.00000 0001 0674 2310Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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18
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Giovannoli J, Martella D, Casagrande M. Executive functioning during verbal fluency tasks in bilinguals: A systematic review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2023. [PMID: 36748790 DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bilingualism is widespread and being bilingual is more common than being monolingual. The lifelong practice bilinguals receive from managing two languages seems to lead to a cognitive benefit. Conversely, bilingualism seems to affect language ability negatively due to less use of each known language. AIMS This systematic review aims to summarize the results of the studies on the effect of bilingualism on executive functioning assessed by verbal fluency tasks. The verbal fluency task is a neuropsychological measure of lexical retrieval efficiency and executive functioning. METHODS The review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement through searches in the scientific databases PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science and SCOPUS. Studies included in this review had at least one bilingual and monolingual group, participants over 18 years and one verbal fluency task. Studies that considered bimodal bilingual, second language learners, trilingual or multilingual people, and clinical populations were excluded. A total of 38 studies were included in the systematic review. MAIN CONTRIBUTION Quantitative analysis of performance did not show significant differences between monolinguals and bilinguals. Qualitative results are mixed, and no definitive conclusions can be drawn about a bilingual advantage or disadvantage in the verbal fluency tasks. CONCLUSIONS Normative data based on the monolingual population are not appropriate to test a bilingual population. It is necessary to take precautions in using this task, especially in clinical practice. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS What is already known on the subject Bilingualism seems to lead to a cognitive benefit due to constantly monitoring the known languages to select the most suitable one for each interactional context and to affect language ability negatively due to less use of each known language but also to language ability negatively. What this paper adds to the existing knowledge This systematic review summarizes the results of the studies on the effect of bilingualism on executive functioning assessed by verbal fluency tasks, a neuropsychological measure of lexical retrieval efficiency and executive functioning. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Normative data based on the monolingual population are not appropriate to test a bilingual population. It is necessary to take precautions in using this task, especially in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Giovannoli
- Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy
| | - Diana Martella
- Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Ciencias sociales y humanas, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Dos Hermanas Seville, España
| | - Maria Casagrande
- Dipartimento di Psicologia Dinamica, Clinica e Salute, Università degli Studi di Roma 'La Sapienza', Rome, Italy
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19
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Carthery-Goulart MT, Privitera AJ, Weekes BS. Does Language Distance Modulate the Contribution of Bilingualism to Cognitive Reserve in Seniors? A Systematic Review. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2023; 38:15333175231167223. [PMID: 37186676 PMCID: PMC10623985 DOI: 10.1177/15333175231167223] [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] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We report a systematic review and exploratory meta-regression investigating the hypothesis that the effects of bilingualism on cognitive reserve are modulated by the distance between the pair of languages a bilingual uses. An inclusive multiple database search was performed in order to identify all relevant published research conducted in bilingual seniors. A combination of qualitative and quantitative synthesis methods were used in order to investigate our research questions. Results suggest that healthy bilingual seniors speaking more distant language pairs show improved monitoring performance on cognitive tasks. Evidence regarding a modulatory influence of language distance (LD) on the age of dementia diagnosis was inconclusive due to the small number of published studies meeting our inclusion criteria. We recommend more detailed reporting of individual differences in bilingual experience to assess the impact of LD and other variables on typical cognitive aging and the development of dementia. Linguistic differences in samples should also be considered as a constraint on bilingual advantages in future studies. Preregistration: PROSPERO CRD42021238705; OSF DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/VPRBU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Carthery-Goulart
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Center for Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, Sao Paulo, Brazil
- Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital Das Clínicas, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Adam John Privitera
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Centre for Research and Development in Learning, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Brendan Stuart Weekes
- Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Psychology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIA, Australia
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20
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Yuan Q, Li H, Du B, Dang Q, Chang Q, Zhang Z, Zhang M, Ding G, Lu C, Guo T. The cerebellum and cognition: further evidence for its role in language control. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:35-49. [PMID: 35226917 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The cognitive function of the human cerebellum could be characterized as enigmatic. However, researchers have attempted to detail the comprehensive role of the cerebellum in several cognitive processes in recent years. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), we revealed different functions of bilateral cerebellar lobules in bilingual language production. Specifically, brain activation showed the bilateral posterolateral cerebellum was associated with bilingual language control, and an effective connectivity analysis built brain networks for the interaction between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. Furthermore, anodal tDCS over the right cerebellum significantly optimizes language control performance in bilinguals. Together, these results reveal a precise asymmetrical functional distribution of the cerebellum in bilingual language production, suggesting that the right cerebellum is more involved in language control. In contrast, its left counterpart undertakes a computational role in cognitive control function by connecting with more prefrontal, parietal, subcortical brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiming Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Hehui Li
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518061, China
| | - Boqi Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qinpu Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Qianwen Chang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhaoqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Man Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Chunming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Taomei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
- Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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21
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Chen S, Lin Y, Zuo S, Wang Z, Liang J, Jiang Z, Xu Y, Wang P, Jing X, Lin L. Cognitive Advantage of Bilingualism Over Monolingualism in Older Adults: A Meta-Analysis. Curr Alzheimer Res 2022; 19:555-567. [PMID: 36125836 DOI: 10.2174/1567205019666220920092234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore whether bilingual older adults had a cognitive advantage over their monolingual counterparts, and validate the influence of cognition-related (participants' cognitive condition, the cognitive domain assessed), and bilingualism-related factors (second language proficiency, frequency of use, acquisition time, and immigration status of participants)on the cognitive advantage of bilingualism. METHODS Through a systematic search of nine databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Embase, PsycINFO, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang) from the inception to April 2021, observational studies with bilingual and monolingual older adults as participants and cognitive function scores as outcome measures were included. Two reviewers independently completed the selection and methodological quality assessment of studies using the JBI cross-sectional study quality evaluation tool and used a pre-designed table for data extraction and sorting. RESULTS Fourteen studies with 51 tasks were included, involving 3737 participants (bilingual group: 1695, monolingual group: 2042). The overall results of the meta-analysis showed that bilingualism had a small cognitive advantage over monolingualism in older adults [SMD=0.23, 95%CI (0.07, 0.38), P=0.004]. In addition, the subgroup analyses indicated that factors such as participants' cognitive condition, the cognitive domain assessed, second language proficiency, acquisition time, and immigration status of participants impacted the cognitive advantage of bilingualism in older adults. CONCLUSION Bilingualism had a mild cognitive advantage over monolingualism in older adults, which was more prominent in older adults with mild cognitive impairment than in cognitively healthy ones, more evident in global cognitive function and inhibitory control than in other individual cognitive domains, and might be influenced by the proficiency and acquisition time of second language as well as the immigration status of older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yuying Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Shufang Zuo
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Ziyu Wang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Jinghong Liang
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zheng Jiang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Yue Xu
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Peiyu Wang
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Xiuchen Jing
- School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
| | - Lu Lin
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China.,School of Nursing, Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
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22
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Marini A. The beauty of diversity in cognitive neuroscience: The case of sex-related effects in language production networks. J Neurosci Res 2022; 101:633-642. [PMID: 35692091 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, several studies have focused on potential sex-related differences in the trajectories of language development and functioning. From a behavioral point of view, the available literature shows controversial results: differences between males and females in language production tasks may not always be detectable and, even when they are, are potentially biased by sociological and educational confounding factors. The problem regarding potential sex-related differences in language production has also been investigated at the neural level, again with controversial results. The current minireview focuses on studies assessing sex-related differences in the neural networks of language production. After providing a theoretical framework of language production, it is shown that the few available investigations have provided mixed results. The major reasons for discrepant findings are discussed with theoretical and methodological implications for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Marini
- Department of Language and Literatures, Communication, Education and Society, University of Udine, Udine, Italy.,Claudiana - Landesfachhochschule für Gesundheitsberufe, Bolzano, Italy
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23
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Marin-Marin L, Costumero V, Ávila C, Pliatsikas C. Dynamic Effects of Immersive Bilingualism on Cortical and Subcortical Grey Matter Volumes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:886222. [PMID: 35586234 PMCID: PMC9109104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.886222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been shown to induce neuroplasticity in the brain, but conflicting evidence regarding its specific effects in grey matter continues to emerge, probably due to methodological differences between studies, as well as approaches that may miss the variability and dynamicity of bilingual experience. In our study, we devised a continuous score of bilingual experiences and we investigated their non-linear effects on regional GM volume in a sample of young healthy participants from an immersive and naturalistic bilingual environment. We focused our analyses on cortical and subcortical regions that had been previously proposed as part of the bilingual speech pipeline and language control network. Our results showed a non-linear relationship between bilingualism score and grey matter volume of the inferior frontal gyrus. We also found linear increases in volumes of putamen and cerebellum as a function of bilingualism score. These results go in line with predictions for immersive and naturalistic bilingual environments with increased intensity and diversity of language use and provide further evidence supporting the dynamicity of bilingualism’s effects on brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidón Marin-Marin
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Victor Costumero
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - César Ávila
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.,Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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24
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Jiao L, Meng N, Wang Z, Schwieter JW, Liu C. Partially shared neural mechanisms of language control and executive control in bilinguals: Meta-analytic comparisons of language and task switching studies. Neuropsychologia 2022; 172:108273. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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25
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Wu J, Zhang M, Dang Q, Chang Q, Yuan Q, Zhang Z, Ding G, Lu C, Guo T. Nonverbal cognitive control training increases the efficiency of frontal-subcortical collaboration for bilingual language control. Neuropsychologia 2022; 169:108204. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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26
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Li S, Li L, Zou L, Yan X, Zhang J, Yang M, Ding G. “Antagonistic” cooperation of control regions in bilingual language production: An effective connectivity study. Neuropsychologia 2022; 167:108165. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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27
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Privitera AJ, Momenian M, Weekes B. Task-specific bilingual effects in Mandarin-English speaking high school students in China. CURRENT RESEARCH IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crbeha.2022.100066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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28
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Malik-Moraleda S, Cucu T, Lipkin B, Fedorenko E. The Domain-General Multiple Demand Network Is More Active in Early Balanced Bilinguals Than Monolinguals During Executive Processing. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:647-664. [PMID: 37214622 PMCID: PMC10158558 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The bilingual experience may place special cognitive demands on speakers and has been argued to lead to improvements in domain-general executive abilities, like cognitive control and working memory. Such improvements have been argued for based on both behavioral and brain imaging evidence. However, the empirical landscape is complex and ridden with controversy. Here we attempt to shed light on this question through an fMRI investigation of relatively large, relatively homogeneous, and carefully matched samples of early balanced bilinguals (n = 55) and monolinguals (n = 54), using robust, previously validated individual-level markers of neural activity in the domain-general multiple demand (MD) network, which supports executive functions. We find that the bilinguals, compared to the monolinguals, show significantly stronger neural responses to an executive (spatial working memory) task, and a larger difference between a harder and an easier condition of the task, across the MD network. These stronger neural responses are accompanied by better behavioral performance on the working memory task. We further show that the bilingual-vs.-monolingual difference in neural responses is not ubiquitous across the brain as no group difference in magnitude is observed in primary visual areas, which also respond to the task. Although the neural group difference in the MD network appears robust, it remains difficult to causally link it to bilingual experience specifically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saima Malik-Moraleda
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Theodor Cucu
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin Lipkin
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Evelina Fedorenko
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
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29
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Guan Q, Wang J, Chen Y, Liu Y, He H. Beyond information rate, the capacity of cognitive control predicts response criteria in perceptual decision-making. Brain Cogn 2021; 154:105788. [PMID: 34481205 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2021.105788] [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: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies indicate that higher capacity of cognitive control (CCC) represents higher processing efficiency (i.e., high accuracy with fast speed). However, the speed-accuracy tradeoff (SAT) exists ubiquitously in decision-making, and little is known about whether and how the CCC is associated with SAT and whether the CCC-SAT relationship would be affected by changes in information entropy. In this study, fifty-nine college students performed a majority function task in which accuracy and response speed were equally emphasized. A Bayesian-based hierarchical drift diffusion modeling method was used to estimate three parameters of boundary separation, drift rate, and nondecision time for each participant in this task. In addition, the CCC of each participant was estimated. The results showed that the CCC was positively correlated with the SAT represented by jointly increasing accuracy and reaction time (RT), which was modulated by the change in task-relevant information entropy. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that drift rate served as the key mediator in the positive CCC-accuracy relationship while boundary separation played the major mediating role in the positive CCC-RT relationship. These findings suggest that the CCC reflects not only the rate of information processing but also decision strategies for achieving current goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Guan
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Center for Neuroimaging, Shenzhen Institute of Neuroscience, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Center of Psychosomatic Medicine of Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yiqi Chen
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hao He
- Center for Brain Disorders and Cognitive Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen, China.
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