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Berger L, Mouthon M, Jost LB, Schwab S, Aybek S, Annoni JM. Does Diglossia Impact Brain Structure? Data from Swiss German Early Diglossic Speakers. Brain Sci 2024; 14:304. [PMID: 38671956 PMCID: PMC11048535 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14040304] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Bilingualism has been reported to shape the brain by inducing cortical changes in cortical and subcortical language and executive networks. Similar yet different to bilingualism, diglossia is common in Switzerland, where the German-speaking population switches between an everyday spoken Swiss German (CH-GER) dialect and the standard German (stGER) used for reading and writing. However, no data are available for diglossia, defined as the use of different varieties or dialects of the same language, regarding brain structure. The aim of our study is to investigate if the presence of this type of diglossia has an impact on the brain structure, similar to the effects seen in bilingualism. (2) Methods: T1-weighted anatomical MRI scans of participants were used to compare the grey matter density and grey matter volume of 22 early diglossic CH-GER-speaking and 20 non-diglossic French-speaking right-handed university students, matched for age, linguistics and academic background. The images were processed with Statistical Parametric Mapping SPM12 and analyzed via voxel- and surface-based morphometry. (3) Results: A Bayesian ANCOVA on the whole brain revealed no differences between the groups. Also, for the five regions of interest (i.e., planum temporale, caudate nucleus, ACC, DLPFC and left interior parietal lobule), no differences in the cortical volume or thickness were found using the same statistical approach. (4) Conclusion: The results of this study may suggest that early diglossia does not shape the brain structure in the same manner as bilingualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Berger
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (L.B.); (M.M.); (L.B.J.); (S.A.)
- Lucern Regional Hospital Sursee, 6210 Sursee, Switzerland
| | - Michael Mouthon
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (L.B.); (M.M.); (L.B.J.); (S.A.)
| | - Lea B. Jost
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (L.B.); (M.M.); (L.B.J.); (S.A.)
| | - Sandra Schwab
- Department of French, Faculty of Art, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;
| | - Selma Aybek
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (L.B.); (M.M.); (L.B.J.); (S.A.)
- Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) Research Group, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marie Annoni
- Department of Neuroscience and Movement Science, Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland; (L.B.); (M.M.); (L.B.J.); (S.A.)
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2
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Molinaro N, Nara S, Carreiras M. Early language dissociation in bilingual minds: magnetoencephalography evidence through a machine learning approach. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae053. [PMID: 38367613 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae053] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Does neural activity reveal how balanced bilinguals choose languages? Despite using diverse neuroimaging techniques, prior studies haven't provided a definitive solution to this problem. Nonetheless, studies involving direct brain stimulation in bilinguals have identified distinct brain regions associated with language production in different languages. In this magnetoencephalography study with 45 proficient Spanish-Basque bilinguals, we investigated language selection during covert picture naming and word reading tasks. Participants were prompted to name line drawings or read words if the color of the stimulus changed to green, in 10% of trials. The task was performed either in Spanish or Basque. Despite similar sensor-level evoked activity for both languages in both tasks, decoding analyses revealed language-specific classification ~100 ms post-stimulus onset. During picture naming, right occipital-temporal sensors predominantly contributed to language decoding, while left occipital-temporal sensors were crucial for decoding during word reading. Cross-task decoding analysis unveiled robust generalization effects from picture naming to word reading. Our methodology involved a fine-grained examination of neural responses using magnetoencephalography, offering insights into the dynamics of language processing in bilinguals. This study refines our understanding of the neural underpinnings of language selection and bridges the gap between non-invasive and invasive experimental evidence in bilingual language production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Molinaro
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Paseo Mikeletegi, 69, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Sanjeev Nara
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Paseo Mikeletegi, 69, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Mathematical Institute, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Physics, Geography, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (University of Giessen), 35392, Gießen, Germany
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Paseo Mikeletegi, 69, 20009, Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009, Bilbao, Spain
- University of the Basque Country. UPV/EHU, 48940, Leioa, Spain
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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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4
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Mendez MF. Can Speaking More Than One Language Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease? J Alzheimers Dis 2023; 95:363-377. [PMID: 37545240 DOI: 10.3233/jad-230285] [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] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurocognitive disorder that is epidemic in the elderly population. Currently, there are limited pharmacological interventions, and this has heightened the urgency to identify potential preventable or modifiable risk factors that promote resilience to the neuropathological effects of AD. The regular use of two or more languages is one such factor that may increases cognitive reserve through the long-standing executive control involved in managing multiple languages in the brain. There is also evidence that bilingualism is associated with increased brain reserve or maintenance, particularly in frontal-executive structures and networks. This review examines the current, sometimes conflicting literature on bi/multilingualism and AD. These studies have confounding variations in the assessment of age of second language onset, language proficiency, language usage, and whether determining incidence of AD or age of symptom onset. Despite these limitations, most publications support the presence of increased frontal-executive reserve that compensates for the development of AD neuropathology and, thereby, delays the emergence of clinical symptoms of dementia by about 4-5 years. Although regularly speaking more than one language does not protect against AD neuropathology, the delay in its clinical expression has a potentially significant impact on the lifelong morbidity from this age-related disease. Learning other languages may be an important modifiable factor for delaying the clinical expression of AD in later life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario F Mendez
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, and Neurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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5
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Tu L, Zhou F, Omata K, Li W, Huang R, Gao W, Zhu Z, Li Y, Liu C, Mao M, Zhang S, Hanakawa T. Increased Gray Matter Volume Induced by Chinese Language Acquisition in Adult Alphabetic Language Speakers. Front Psychol 2022; 13:824219. [PMID: 35548546 PMCID: PMC9084625 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.824219] [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: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
It is interesting to explore the effects of second language (L2) acquisition on anatomical change in brain at different stages for the neural structural adaptations are dynamic. Short-term Chinese training effects on brain anatomical structures in alphabetic language speakers have been already studied. However, little is known about the adaptations of the gray matter induced by acquiring Chinese language for a relatively long learning period in adult alphabetic language speakers. To explore this issue, we recruited 38 Indian overseas students in China as our subjects. The learned group included 17 participants who had learned Mandarin Chinese for an average of 3.24 years and achieved intermediate Chinese language proficiency. The control group included 21 subjects who had no knowledge about Chinese. None of the participants had any experience in learning logographic and tonal language before Chinese learning. We found that (1) the learned group had significantly greater gray matter volume (GMV) in the left lingual gyrus (LG) compared with the control group; (2) the Chinese characters’ reading accuracy was significantly and positively correlated to the GMV in the left LG and fusiform gyrus (FG) across the two groups; and (3) in the learned group, the duration of Chinese learning was significantly and positively correlated with the GMV in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) after correction for multiple comparisons with small volume corrections. Our structural imaging findings are in line with the functional imaging studies reporting increased brain activation induced by Chinese acquisition in alphabetic language speakers. The regional gray matter changes reflected the additional requirements imposed by the more difficult processing of Chinese characters and tones. The present study also show that the biological bases of the adaptations induced by a relatively long period of Chinese learning were limited in the common areas for first and foreign language processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Tu
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fangyuan Zhou
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kei Omata
- Department of Advanced Neuroimaging, Integrative Brain Imaging Center, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Japan
| | - Wendi Li
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ruiwang Huang
- School of Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science of Guangdong, Center for the Study of Applied Psychology and MRI Center, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Gao
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenzhen Zhu
- Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanyan Li
- Higher Education Mega Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chang Liu
- South China Business Trade College, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengying Mao
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuyu Zhang
- College of Foreign Studies, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Takashi Hanakawa
- Integrated Neuroanatomy and Neuroimaging, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
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6
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Luo B, Dong W, Chang L, Qiu C, Lu Y, Liu D, Xue C, Zhang L, Liu W, Zhang W, Yan J. Altered Interhemispheric Functional Connectivity Associated With Early Verbal Fluency Decline After Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2022; 14:799545. [PMID: 35431904 PMCID: PMC9011328 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.799545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) experience a decline in verbal fluency (VF) immediately after undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN). This phenomenon is thought to be related to surgical microlesions. Purpose We investigated the alterations in interhemispheric functional connectivity after STN-DBS in PD patients. We also evaluated the correlation between these changes and decreased VF scores. Method Overall, 30 patients with PD were enrolled in the study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed twice, once before and once after DBS, in PD patients. Voxel-mirrored homotopic connectivity (VMHC) was applied in order to evaluate the synchronicity of functional connectivity between the hemispheres. Result After undergoing STN-DBS, PD patients demonstrated reduced VMHC value in the posterior cerebellum lobe, angular gyrus, precuneus/posterior cingulate gyrus (PCC), supramarginal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus (SFG) (medial and dorsolateral) and middle frontal gyrus (MFG). In addition, we observed a significant positive correlation between the altered VMHC value in the SFG and MFG and the change of phonemic VF scores. Conclusion PD patients demonstrated an interhemispheric coordination disorder in the prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, supramarginal gyrus and DMN after undergoing STN-DBS. The positive correlation between reduced VMHC value in the SFG and MFG and the changes of VF scores provides a novel understanding with regard to the decline of VF after DBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Luo
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenwen Dong
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Lei Chang
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chang Qiu
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yue Lu
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Dongming Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chen Xue
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Weiguo Liu
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenbin Zhang
- Department of Functional Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Wenbin Zhang,
| | - Jun Yan
- Department of Geriatric Neurology, The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
- Jun Yan,
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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.
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8
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Understanding Language Attrition through Orthography. LANGUAGES 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/languages6040199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The decay in the proficiency of the native language (L1), known as first language attrition, is one of the least understood phenomena associated with the acquisition of a second language (L2). Indeed, the exact cause for the deterioration in L1 performance, be that either the interference from L2 acquisition or the less frequent use of L1, still remains elusive. In this opinion paper, we focus on one largely understudied aspect of L1 attrition—namely, the erosion of the L1 orthographic knowledge under the influence of L2 orthography. In particular, we propose to study differences in orthographic processing between mono- and bilingual populations as an approach, which, in turn, will allow to address both cognitive and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying L1 attrition. We discuss relevant experimental paradigms, variable manipulations and appropriate research methods that may help disentangle the largely debated question of L2 interference vs. L1 disuse, clarifying the nature of the L1 orthographic attrition.
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de Bruin A, Dick AS, Carreiras M. Clear Theories Are Needed to Interpret Differences: Perspectives on the Bilingual Advantage Debate. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2021; 2:433-451. [PMID: 37214628 PMCID: PMC10158573 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The heated debate regarding bilingual cognitive advantages remains ongoing. While there are many studies supporting positive cognitive effects of bilingualism, recent meta-analyses have concluded that there is no consistent evidence for a bilingual advantage. In this article we focus on several theoretical concerns. First, we discuss changes in theoretical frameworks, which have led to the development of insufficiently clear theories and hypotheses that are difficult to falsify. Next, we discuss the development of looking at bilingual experiences and the need to better understand language control. Last, we argue that the move from behavioural studies to a focus on brain plasticity is not going to solve the debate on cognitive effects, especially not when brain changes are interpreted in the absence of behavioural differences. Clearer theories on both behavioural and neural effects of bilingualism are needed. However, to achieve this, a solid understanding of both bilingualism and executive functions is needed first.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela de Bruin
- Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Anthony Steven Dick
- Department of Psychology, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
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Sander K, Barbeau EB, Chai X, Kousaie S, Petrides M, Baum S, Klein D. Frontoparietal Anatomical Connectivity Predicts Second Language Learning Success. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2602-2610. [PMID: 34607363 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is considerable individual variability in second language (L2) learning abilities in adulthood. The inferior parietal lobule, important in L2 learning success, is anatomically connected to language areas in the frontal lobe via the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). The second and third branches of the SLF (SLF II and III) have not been examined separately in the context of language, yet they are known to have dissociable frontoparietal connections. Studying these pathways and their functional contributions to L2 learning is thus of great interest. Using diffusion MRI tractography, we investigated individuals undergoing language training to explore brain structural predictors of L2 learning success. We dissected SLF II and III using gold-standard anatomical definitions and related prelearning white matter integrity to language improvements corresponding with hypothesized tract functions. SLF II properties predicted improvement in lexical retrieval, while SLF III properties predicted improvement in articulation rate. Finer grained separation of these pathways enables better understanding of their distinct roles in language, which is essential for studying how anatomical connectivity relates to L2 learning abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaija Sander
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Elise B Barbeau
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Xiaoqian Chai
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada
| | - Shanna Kousaie
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Michael Petrides
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada.,Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Shari Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada.,School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Denise Klein
- Cognitive Neuroscience Unit, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada.,Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), Montreal, QC H3G 2A8, Canada
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11
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Gibbs SK, Fulton S, Mudigoudar B, Boop FA, Narayana S. Presurgical language mapping in bilingual children using transcranial magnetic stimulation: illustrative case. JOURNAL OF NEUROSURGERY: CASE LESSONS 2021; 2:CASE21391. [PMID: 36131569 PMCID: PMC9563954 DOI: 10.3171/case21391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Presurgical mapping of eloquent cortex in young patients undergoing neurosurgery is critical but presents challenges unique to the pediatric population, including motion artifact, noncompliance, and sedation requirements. Furthermore, as bilingualism in children increases, functional mapping of more than one language is becoming increasingly critical. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a noninvasive brain stimulation technique, is well suited to evaluate language areas in children since it does not require the patient to remain still during mapping. OBSERVATIONS A 13-year-old bilingual male with glioblastoma multiforme involving the left parietal lobe and deep occipital white matter underwent preoperative language mapping using magnetic resonance imaging-guided TMS. Language-specific cortices were successfully identified in both hemispheres. TMS findings aided in discussing with the family the risks of postsurgical deficits of tumor resection; postoperatively, the patient had intact bilingual speech and was referred for chemotherapy and radiation. LESSONS The authors’ findings add to the evolving case for preoperative dual language mapping in bilingual neurosurgical candidates. The authors illustrate the feasibility and utility of TMS as a noninvasive functional mapping tool in this child. TMS is safe, effective, and can be used for preoperative mapping of language cortex in bilingual children to aid in surgical planning and discussion with families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savannah K. Gibbs
- Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Stephen Fulton
- Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Departments of Pediatrics
| | - Basanagoud Mudigoudar
- Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Departments of Pediatrics
| | - Frederick A. Boop
- Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Neurosurgery, and
- Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee; and
| | - Shalini Narayana
- Neuroscience Institute, Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Departments of Pediatrics
- Semmes Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute, Memphis, Tennessee
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12
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Jouravlev O, Mineroff Z, Blank IA, Fedorenko E. The Small and Efficient Language Network of Polyglots and Hyper-polyglots. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:62-76. [PMID: 32820332 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquiring a foreign language is challenging for many adults. Yet certain individuals choose to acquire sometimes dozens of languages and often just for fun. Is there something special about the minds and brains of such polyglots? Using robust individual-level markers of language activity, measured with fMRI, we compared native language processing in polyglots versus matched controls. Polyglots (n = 17, including nine "hyper-polyglots" with proficiency in 10-55 languages) used fewer neural resources to process language: Their activations were smaller in both magnitude and extent. This difference was spatially and functionally selective: The groups were similar in their activation of two other brain networks-the multiple demand network and the default mode network. We hypothesize that the activation reduction in the language network is experientially driven, such that the acquisition and use of multiple languages makes language processing generally more efficient. However, genetic and longitudinal studies will be critical to distinguish this hypothesis from the one whereby polyglots' brains already differ at birth or early in development. This initial characterization of polyglots' language network opens the door to future investigations of the cognitive and neural architecture of individuals who gain mastery of multiple languages, including changes in this architecture with linguistic experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olessia Jouravlev
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6, Canada
| | - Zachary Mineroff
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Idan A Blank
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Evelina Fedorenko
- Brain & Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.,McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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13
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Giroud N, Baum SR, Gilbert AC, Phillips NA, Gracco V. Earlier age of second language learning induces more robust speech encoding in the auditory brainstem in adults, independent of amount of language exposure during early childhood. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2020; 207:104815. [PMID: 32535187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2020.104815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Learning a second language (L2) at a young age is a driving factor of functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem. To date, it remains unclear whether these effects remain stable until adulthood and to what degree the amount of exposure to the L2 in early childhood might affect their outcome. We compared three groups of adult English-French bilinguals in their ability to categorize English vowels in relation to their frequency following responses (FFR) evoked by the same vowels. At the time of testing, cognitive abilities as well as fluency in both languages were matched between the (1) simultaneous bilinguals (SIM, N = 18); (2) sequential bilinguals with L1-English (N = 14); and (3) sequential bilinguals with L1-French (N = 11). Our results show that the L1-English group show sharper category boundaries in identification of the vowels compared to the L1-French group. Furthermore, the same pattern was reflected in the FFRs (i.e., larger FFR responses in L1-English > SIM > L1-French), while again only the difference between the L1-English and the L1-French group was statistically significant; nonetheless, there was a trend towards larger FFR in SIM compared to L1-French. Our data extends previous literature showing that exposure to a language during the first years of life induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem that remains stable until at least young adulthood. Furthermore, the findings suggest that amount of exposure (i.e., 100% vs. 50%) to that language does not differentially shape the robustness of the perceptual abilities or the auditory brainstem encoding of phonetic categories of the language. Statement of significance: Previous studies have indicated that early age of L2 acquisition induces functional neuroplasticity in the auditory brainstem during processing of the L2. This study compared three groups of adult bilinguals who differed in their age of L2 acquisition as well as the amount of exposure to the L2 during early childhood. We demonstrate for the first time that the neuroplastic effect in the brainstem remains stable until young adulthood and that the amount of L2 exposure does not influence behavioral or brainstem plasticity. Our study provides novel insights into low-level auditory plasticity as a function of varying bilingual experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Giroud
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Shari R Baum
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada
| | - Annie C Gilbert
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Natalie A Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Centre for Research in Human Development (CRDH), Concordia University, Montréal, Canada; Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada.
| | - Vincent Gracco
- Centre for Research on Brain, Language, and Music (CRBLM), McGill University, Montréal, Canada; School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University, Montréal, Canada; Haskins Laboratories, Yale University, New Haven, United States
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14
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Cognitive and brain reserve in bilinguals: field overview and explanatory mechanisms. JOURNAL OF CULTURAL COGNITIVE SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s41809-020-00058-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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15
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Danylkiv A, Krafnick AJ. A Meta-Analysis of Gray Matter Differences Between Bilinguals and Monolinguals. Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:146. [PMID: 32390815 PMCID: PMC7191056 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00146] [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: 11/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism is of great interest to the neuroscience of language, and understanding the anatomical changes associated with second language learning help inform theories of bilingual advantage across the lifespan. While the literature on structural differences between bilinguals and monolinguals is robust, relatively few studies of gray matter (GM) have directly compared bilinguals with monolinguals in a whole-brain analysis. Overall, this and heterogeneity of study samples and methodology have led to a lack of clear anatomical support for major theories. Here, we engage in an activation likelihood estimate (ALE) meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of GM for cases that directly compare bilingual and monolingual subjects in a whole-brain analysis. The analysis (sixteen foci, from ten contrasts across eight studies) resulted in one cluster located primarily within the anterior lobe of the right cerebellum. However, when the one pediatric study was removed, the analysis revealed no consistent results across the studies included in this meta-analysis. This suggests that for VBM studies of bilingual and monolingual adults there is considerable heterogeneity of results that complicate the understanding of the bilingual brain. Future studies will need to include larger, more well-defined samples and interrogate more fine-grained anatomical features such as cortical thickness and surface area in order to more fully examine the anatomical changes associated with bilingualism across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasiya Danylkiv
- Psychology Department, Dominican University, River Forest, IL, United States
| | - Anthony J Krafnick
- Psychology Department, Dominican University, River Forest, IL, United States
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16
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Bilingual language processing: A meta-analysis of functional neuroimaging studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2020; 108:834-853. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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17
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Claussenius-Kalman H, Vaughn KA, Archila-Suerte P, Hernandez AE. Age of acquisition impacts the brain differently depending on neuroanatomical metric. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:484-502. [PMID: 31600019 PMCID: PMC7267963 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2018] [Revised: 08/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although researchers generally agree that a certain set of brain areas underlie bilingual language processing, there is discrepancy regarding what effect timing of language acquisition has on these regions. We aimed to investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of age of acquisition (AoA), which has been examined previously, but with inconsistent results, likely influenced by methodological differences across studies. We analyzed gray matter density, volume, and thickness using whole-brain linear models in 334 bilinguals and monolinguals. Neuroanatomical correlates of AoA differed depending on gray matter metric. Relative to early bilinguals, late bilinguals had thicker cortex in language processing and cognitive control regions, and greater density in multiple frontal areas and the right middle temporal and supramarginal gyri. Early bilinguals had greater volume than late bilinguals in the left middle temporal gyrus. Overall, volume was the least sensitive to AoA-related differences. Multiple regions not classically implicated in dual-language processing were also found, which highlights the important role of whole-brain analyses in neuroscience. This is the first study to investigate AoA and gray matter thickness, volume, and density all in the same sample. We conclude that cognitive models of bilingualism should consider the roles of development and neuroanatomical metric in driving our understanding of bilingual and monolingual language organization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kelly A Vaughn
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
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18
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Legault J, Grant A, Fang SY, Li P. A longitudinal investigation of structural brain changes during second language learning. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 197:104661. [PMID: 31376630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the time course of second language (L2) induced neuroplasticity or how individual differences may be associated with brain changes. The current longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging study examined changes in cortical thickness (CT) and gray matter volume (GMV) across two semesters of L2 Spanish classroom learning. Learners' lexical processing was assessed via a language decision task containing English and Spanish words. Our findings indicated that (1) CT increased in the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and right middle temporal gyrus (MTG) after L2 learning, (2) CT in the right MTG increased in individuals who were better able to discriminate between native language and L2 words, and (3) CT in the left ACC was correlated with functional connectivity between the ACC and MTG. These findings indicate that L2 lexical development is associated with functional and structural changes in brain regions important for cognitive control and semantic processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Legault
- Department of Psychology and Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, United States; Department of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, University of Delaware, United States.
| | - Angela Grant
- Department of Psychology and Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, United States; Department of Psychology, Missouri Western State University, United States
| | - Shin-Yi Fang
- Department of Psychology and Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychology and Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, United States.
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19
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Mendez MF. Bilingualism and Dementia: Cognitive Reserve to Linguistic Competency. J Alzheimers Dis 2019; 71:377-388. [DOI: 10.3233/jad-190397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario F. Mendez
- V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, CA, USA
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20
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Munson BA, Hernandez AE. Inconsistency of findings due to low power: A structural MRI study of bilingualism. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2019; 195:104642. [PMID: 31238122 PMCID: PMC8590736 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2019.104642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Research on structural brain differences between monolinguals and bilinguals remains inconsistent, and this has been proposed by some to be due in part to inadequate sample sizes. The aim of the present study is to reveal the expected degrees of uncertainty among neuroimaging findings by analyzing random samples of varying sizes from a larger-than-average sample. Bilinguals (n = 216) were compared with monolinguals (n = 146) using grey matter volume measures across region-of-interest tests. Variability among findings were compared with the true full-sample findings, and taken in the context of expected differences within the larger bilingualism neuroimaging literature. Results demonstrate excessive variability across the lowest sample sizes (e.g. samples totaling 20-80 participants), and this is explored through the trends of subsample outcomes and effect sizes across sample sizes. The results of this study illustrate the influences of power on expected variability among sample findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandin A Munson
- Department of Health & Human Performance, University of Houston, United States.
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21
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Hayakawa S, Marian V. Consequences of multilingualism for neural architecture. Behav Brain Funct 2019; 15:6. [PMID: 30909931 PMCID: PMC6432751 DOI: 10.1186/s12993-019-0157-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Language has the power to shape cognition, behavior, and even the form and function of the brain. Technological and scientific developments have recently yielded an increasingly diverse set of tools with which to study the way language changes neural structures and processes. Here, we review research investigating the consequences of multilingualism as revealed by brain imaging. A key feature of multilingual cognition is that two or more languages can become activated at the same time, requiring mechanisms to control interference. Consequently, extensive experience managing multiple languages can influence cognitive processes as well as their neural correlates. We begin with a brief discussion of how bilinguals activate language, and of the brain regions implicated in resolving language conflict. We then review evidence for the pervasive impact of bilingual experience on the function and structure of neural networks that support linguistic and non-linguistic cognitive control, speech processing and production, and language learning. We conclude that even seemingly distinct effects of language on cognitive operations likely arise from interdependent functions, and that future work directly exploring the interactions between multiple levels of processing could offer a more comprehensive view of how language molds the mind.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayuri Hayakawa
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Viorica Marian
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, 2240 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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22
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Brito NH, Noble KG. The independent and interacting effects of socioeconomic status and dual-language use on brain structure and cognition. Dev Sci 2018; 21:e12688. [PMID: 29877603 PMCID: PMC6202148 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Family socioeconomic status (SES) is strongly associated with children's cognitive development, and past studies have reported socioeconomic disparities in both neurocognitive skills and brain structure across childhood. In other studies, bilingualism has been associated with cognitive advantages and differences in brain structure across the lifespan. The aim of the current study is to concurrently examine the joint and independent associations between family SES and dual-language use with brain structure and cognitive skills during childhood. A subset of data from the Pediatric Imaging, Neurocognition and Genetics (PING) study was analyzed; propensity score matching established an equal sample (N = 562) of monolinguals and dual-language users with similar socio-demographic characteristics (Mage = 13.5, Range = 3-20 years). When collapsing across all ages, SES was linked to both brain structure and cognitive skills. When examining differences by age group, brain structure was significantly associated with both income and dual-language use during adolescence, but not earlier in childhood. Additionally, in adolescence, a significant interaction between dual-language use and SES was found, with no difference in cortical surface area (SA) between language groups of higher-SES backgrounds but significantly increased SA for dual-language users from lower-SES families compared to SES-matched monolinguals. These results suggest both independent and interacting associations between SES and dual-language use with brain development. To our knowledge, this is the first study to concurrently examine dual-language use and socioeconomic differences in brain structure during childhood and adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie H Brito
- Department of Applied Psychology, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Kimberly G Noble
- Department of Biobehavioral Sciences, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, USA
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23
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Parker Jones O, Alfaro-Almagro F, Jbabdi S. An empirical, 21st century evaluation of phrenology. Cortex 2018; 106:26-35. [PMID: 29864593 PMCID: PMC6143440 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Phrenology was a nineteenth century endeavour to link personality traits with scalp morphology, which has been both influential and fiercely criticised, not least because of the assumption that scalp morphology can be informative of underlying brain function. Here we test the idea empirically rather than dismissing it out of hand. Whereas nineteenth century phrenologists had access to coarse measurement tools (digital technology referring then to fingers), we were able to re-examine phrenology using 21st century methods and thousands of subjects drawn from the largest neuroimaging study to date. High-quality structural MRI was used to quantify local scalp curvature. The resulting curvature statistics were compared against lifestyle measures acquired from the same cohort of subjects, being careful to match a subset of lifestyle measures to phrenological ideas of brain organisation, in an effort to evoke the character of Victorian times. The results represent the most rigorous evaluation of phrenological claims to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Parker Jones
- FMRIB, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
| | - F Alfaro-Almagro
- FMRIB, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - S Jbabdi
- FMRIB, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK
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24
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Beyond volume: A surface-based approach to bilingualism-induced grey matter changes. Neuropsychologia 2018; 117:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2018.04.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Revised: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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25
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Del Maschio N, Sulpizio S, Gallo F, Fedeli D, Weekes BS, Abutalebi J. Neuroplasticity across the lifespan and aging effects in bilinguals and monolinguals. Brain Cogn 2018; 125:118-126. [PMID: 29990701 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Evidence that bilingualism protects against age-related neurocognitive decline is mixed. One relatively consistent finding is that bilingual seniors have greater grey matter volume (GMV) in regions implicated in executive control (EC) and language processing. Here, we compare the neuroplastic effects of bilingual experience on the EC network of young and aging populations directly, and for the first time we evaluate the extent to which such effects may predict executive control performance across age. We used GMV as an index of neural reserve and response time (RT) performance on the Flanker task for measuring EC efficiency. In the presence of age-related widespread GM deterioration, bilinguals had greater GMV than monolinguals in key regions of interest across age. Moreover, whereas EC performance in monolingual seniors was strictly related to GMV, this was not observed for bilingual seniors or younger participants in either group. Interactions between expected effects-of-age and language group on the relationships between GMV and RT suggested that bilingualism affords differential benefits across the lifespan. In younger participants, greater GMV offered no behavioral benefit on EC performance, whilst it did for seniors. It thus appears that age-related cognitive decline following GMV loss in the EC network is delayed in bilinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Del Maschio
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Simone Sulpizio
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Gallo
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Brendan S Weekes
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics (CNPL), Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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26
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Calabria M, Costa A, Green DW, Abutalebi J. Neural basis of bilingual language control. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018; 1426:221-235. [PMID: 29917244 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Acquiring and speaking a second language increases demand on the processes of language control for bilingual as compared to monolingual speakers. Language control for bilingual speakers involves the ability to keep the two languages separated to avoid interference and to select one language or the other in a given conversational context. This ability is what we refer with the term "bilingual language control" (BLC). It is now well established that the architecture of this complex system of language control encompasses brain networks involving cortical and subcortical structures, each responsible for different cognitive processes such as goal maintenance, conflict monitoring, interference suppression, and selective response inhibition. Furthermore, advances have been made in determining the overlap between the BLC and the nonlinguistic executive control networks, under the hypothesis that the BLC processes are just an instantiation of a more domain-general control system. Here, we review the current knowledge about the neural basis of these control systems. Results from brain imaging studies of healthy adults and on the performance of bilingual individuals with brain damage are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Calabria
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albert Costa
- Center for Brain and Cognition, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - David W Green
- Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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27
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Beyond bilingualism: multilingual experience correlates with caudate volume. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3495-3502. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1695-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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28
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Berisha V, Gilton D, Baxter LC, Corman SR, Blais C, Brewer G, Ruston S, Hunter Ball B, Wingert KM, Peter B, Rogalsky C. Structural neural predictors of Farsi-English bilingualism. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2018; 180-182:42-49. [PMID: 29723828 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2018.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The neurobiology of bilingualism is hotly debated. The present study examines whether normalized cortical measurements can be used to reliably classify monolinguals versus bilinguals in a structural MRI dataset of Farsi-English bilinguals and English monolinguals. A decision tree classifier classified bilinguals with an average correct classification rate of 85%, and monolinguals with a rate of 71.4%. The most relevant regions for classification were the right supramarginal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus and left inferior frontal gyrus. Larger studies with carefully matched monolingual and bilingual samples are needed to confirm that features of these regions can reliably categorize monolingual and bilingual brains. Nonetheless, the present findings suggest that a single structural MRI scan, analyzed with measures readily available using default procedures in a free open-access software (Freesurfer), can be used to reliably predict an individual's language experience using a decision tree classifier, and that Farsi-English bilingualism implicates regions identified in previous group-level studies of bilingualism in other languages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Visar Berisha
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Davis Gilton
- School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Leslie C Baxter
- Barrow Neurological Institute and St. Joseph's Medical Center and Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85013, USA
| | - Steven R Corman
- The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Chris Blais
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Gene Brewer
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Scott Ruston
- The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - B Hunter Ball
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Kimberly M Wingert
- Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Beate Peter
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MO 63101, USA
| | - Corianne Rogalsky
- Department of Speech and Hearing Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
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Duncan HD, Nikelski J, Pilon R, Steffener J, Chertkow H, Phillips NA. Structural brain differences between monolingual and multilingual patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease: Evidence for cognitive reserve. Neuropsychologia 2018; 109:270-282. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.12.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Rossi E, Cheng H, Kroll JF, Diaz MT, Newman SD. Changes in White-Matter Connectivity in Late Second Language Learners: Evidence from Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Front Psychol 2017; 8:2040. [PMID: 29209263 PMCID: PMC5702476 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Morphological brain changes as a consequence of new learning have been widely established. Learning a second language (L2) is one such experience that can lead to rapid structural neural changes. However, still relatively little is known about how levels of proficiency in the L2 and the age at which the L2 is learned influence brain neuroplasticity. The goal of this study is to provide novel evidence for the effect of bilingualism on white matter structure in relatively proficient but late L2 learners who acquired the second language after early childhood. Overall, the results demonstrate a significant effect on white matter fractional anisotropy (FA) as a function of L2 learning. Higher FA values were found in a broad white matter network including the anterior thalamic radiation (ATR), the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF), the Uncinate Fasciculus (UF), and the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). Moreover, FA values were correlated with age of L2 acquisition, suggesting that learning an L2, even past childhood, induces neural changes. Finally, these results provide some initial evidence that variability in the age of L2 acquisition has important consequences for neural plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Rossi
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Pomona, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Hu Cheng
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Judith F. Kroll
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Michele T. Diaz
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
| | - Sharlene D. Newman
- Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
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31
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Jung J, Kim S, Cho H, Nam K. Structural and functional correlates for language efficiency in auditory word processing. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0184232. [PMID: 28892503 PMCID: PMC5593184 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0184232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aims to provide convergent understanding of the neural basis of auditory word processing efficiency using a multimodal imaging. We investigated the structural and functional correlates of word processing efficiency in healthy individuals. We acquired two structural imaging (T1-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during auditory word processing (phonological and semantic tasks). Our results showed that better phonological performance was predicted by the greater thalamus activity. In contrary, better semantic performance was associated with the less activation in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), supporting the neural efficiency hypothesis that better task performance requires less brain activation. Furthermore, our network analysis revealed the semantic network including the left anterior temporal lobe (ATL), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and pMTG was correlated with the semantic efficiency. Especially, this network acted as a neural efficient manner during auditory word processing. Structurally, DLPFC and cingulum contributed to the word processing efficiency. Also, the parietal cortex showed a significate association with the word processing efficiency. Our results demonstrated that two features of word processing efficiency, phonology and semantics, can be supported in different brain regions and, importantly, the way serving it in each region was different according to the feature of word processing. Our findings suggest that word processing efficiency can be achieved by in collaboration of multiple brain regions involved in language and general cognitive function structurally and functionally.
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Affiliation(s)
- JeYoung Jung
- Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience & Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Sunmi Kim
- Wisdom Science Centre, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyesuk Cho
- Wisdom Science Centre, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kichun Nam
- Wisdom Science Centre, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
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32
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Li L, Abutalebi J, Emmorey K, Gong G, Yan X, Feng X, Zou L, Ding G. How bilingualism protects the brain from aging: Insights from bimodal bilinguals. Hum Brain Mapp 2017; 38:4109-4124. [PMID: 28513102 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.23652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilingual experience can delay cognitive decline during aging. A general hypothesis is that the executive control system of bilinguals faces an increased load due to controlling two languages, and this increased load results in a more "tuned brain" that eventually creates a neural reserve. Here we explored whether such a neuroprotective effect is independent of language modality, i.e., not limited to bilinguals who speak two languages but also occurs for bilinguals who use a spoken and a signed language. We addressed this issue by comparing bimodal bilinguals to monolinguals in order to detect age-induced structural brain changes and to determine whether we can detect the same beneficial effects on brain structure, in terms of preservation of gray matter volume (GMV), for bimodal bilinguals as has been reported for unimodal bilinguals. Our GMV analyses revealed a significant interaction effect of age × group in the bilateral anterior temporal lobes, left hippocampus/amygdala, and left insula where bimodal bilinguals showed slight GMV increases while monolinguals showed significant age-induced GMV decreases. We further found through cortical surface-based measurements that this effect was present for surface area and not for cortical thickness. Moreover, to further explore the hypothesis that overall bilingualism provides neuroprotection, we carried out a direct comparison of GMV, extracted from the brain regions reported above, between bimodal bilinguals, unimodal bilinguals, and monolinguals. Bilinguals, regardless of language modality, exhibited higher GMV compared to monolinguals. This finding highlights the general beneficial effects provided by experience handling two language systems, whether signed or spoken. Hum Brain Mapp 38:4109-4124, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Jubin Abutalebi
- Centre for Neurolinguistics and Psycholinguistics, University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Karen Emmorey
- Laboratory for Language and Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California
| | - Gaolang Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxia Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijuan Zou
- College of Psychology and Education, Zaozhuang University, Zaozhuang, 277100, People's Republic of China
| | - Guosheng Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, People's Republic of China
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33
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Barbeau EB, Chai XJ, Chen JK, Soles J, Berken J, Baum S, Watkins KE, Klein D. The role of the left inferior parietal lobule in second language learning: An intensive language training fMRI study. Neuropsychologia 2017; 98:169-176. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We discuss the role of bilingualism as a source of cognitive reserve and we propose the putative neural mechanisms through which lifelong bilingualism leads to a neural reserve that delays the onset of dementia. RECENT FINDINGS Recent findings highlight that the use of more than one language affects the human brain in terms of anatomo-structural changes. It is noteworthy that recent evidence from different places and cultures throughout the world points to a significant delay of dementia onset in bilingual/multilingual individuals. This delay has been reported not only for Alzheimer's dementia and its prodromal mild cognitive impairment phase, but also for other dementias such as vascular and fronto-temporal dementia, and was found to be independent of literacy, education and immigrant status. SUMMARY Lifelong bilingualism represents a powerful cognitive reserve delaying the onset of dementia by approximately 4 years. As to the causal mechanism, because speaking more than one language heavily relies upon executive control and attention, brain systems handling these functions are more developed in bilinguals resulting in increases of gray and white matter densities that may help protect from dementia onset. These neurocognitive benefits are even more prominent when second language proficiency and exposure are kept high throughout life.
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35
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Oberhuber M, Hope TMH, Seghier ML, Parker Jones O, Prejawa S, Green DW, Price CJ. Four Functionally Distinct Regions in the Left Supramarginal Gyrus Support Word Processing. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:4212-4226. [PMID: 27600852 PMCID: PMC5066832 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We used fMRI in 85 healthy participants to investigate whether different parts of the left supramarginal gyrus (SMG) are involved in processing phonological inputs and outputs. The experiment involved 2 tasks (speech production (SP) and one-back (OB) matching) on 8 different types of stimuli that systematically varied the demands on sensory processing (visual vs. auditory), sublexical phonological input (words and pseudowords vs. nonverbal stimuli), and semantic content (words and objects vs. pseudowords and meaningless baseline stimuli). In ventral SMG, we found an anterior subregion associated with articulatory sequencing (for SP > OB matching) and a posterior subregion associated with auditory short-term memory (for all auditory > visual stimuli and written words and pseudowords > objects). In dorsal SMG, a posterior subregion was most highly activated by words, indicating a role in the integration of sublexical and lexical cues. In anterior dorsal SMG, activation was higher for both pseudoword reading and object naming compared with word reading, which is more consistent with executive demands than phonological processing. The dissociation of these four “functionally-distinct” regions, all within left SMG, has implications for differentiating between different types of phonological processing, understanding the functional anatomy of language and predicting the effect of brain damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Oberhuber
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - T M H Hope
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - M L Seghier
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), P.O. Box 126662, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - O Parker Jones
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,FMRIB (Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Wolfson College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S Prejawa
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.,Collaborative Research Centre 1052 "Obesity Mechanisms", Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - D W Green
- Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Brain Sciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - C J Price
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
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36
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Individual language experience modulates rapid formation of cortical memory circuits for novel words. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30227. [PMID: 27444206 PMCID: PMC4957205 DOI: 10.1038/srep30227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Mastering multiple languages is an increasingly important ability in the modern world; furthermore, multilingualism may affect human learning abilities. Here, we test how the brain's capacity to rapidly form new representations for spoken words is affected by prior individual experience in non-native language acquisition. Formation of new word memory traces is reflected in a neurophysiological response increase during a short exposure to novel lexicon. Therefore, we recorded changes in electrophysiological responses to phonologically native and non-native novel word-forms during a perceptual learning session, in which novel stimuli were repetitively presented to healthy adults in either ignore or attend conditions. We found that larger number of previously acquired languages and earlier average age of acquisition (AoA) predicted greater response increase to novel non-native word-forms. This suggests that early and extensive language experience is associated with greater neural flexibility for acquiring novel words with unfamiliar phonology. Conversely, later AoA was associated with a stronger response increase for phonologically native novel word-forms, indicating better tuning of neural linguistic circuits to native phonology. The results suggest that individual language experience has a strong effect on the neural mechanisms of word learning, and that it interacts with the phonological familiarity of the novel lexicon.
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37
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Abstract
There is considerable variability in an individual's ability to acquire a second language (L2) during adulthood. Using resting-state fMRI data acquired before training in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course, we investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic resting-state functional connectivity relate to a person's ability to acquire an L2. We focused on two key aspects of language processing--lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed--and computed whole-brain functional connectivity from two regions of interest in the language network, namely the left anterior insula/frontal operculum (AI/FO) and the visual word form area (VWFA). Connectivity between the left AI/FO and left posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG) and between the left AI/FO and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex correlated positively with improvement in L2 lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech. Connectivity between the VWFA and left mid-STG correlated positively with improvement in L2 reading speed. These findings are consistent with the different language functions subserved by subcomponents of the language network and suggest that the human capacity to learn an L2 can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network. Significance statement: There is considerable variability in second-language learning abilities during adulthood. We investigated whether individual differences in intrinsic functional connectivity in the adult brain relate to success in second-language learning, using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in English speakers who underwent a 12 week intensive French immersion training course. We found that pretraining functional connectivity within two different language subnetworks correlated strongly with learning outcome in two different language skills: lexical retrieval in spontaneous speech and reading speed. Our results suggest that the human capacity to learn a second language can be predicted by an individual's intrinsic functional connectivity within the language network.
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38
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Wong B, Yin B, O'Brien B. Neurolinguistics: Structure, Function, and Connectivity in the Bilingual Brain. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:7069274. [PMID: 26881224 PMCID: PMC4736376 DOI: 10.1155/2016/7069274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Advances in neuroimaging techniques and analytic methods have led to a proliferation of studies investigating the impact of bilingualism on the cognitive and brain systems in humans. Lately, these findings have attracted much interest and debate in the field, leading to a number of recent commentaries and reviews. Here, we contribute to the ongoing discussion by compiling and interpreting the plethora of findings that relate to the structural, functional, and connective changes in the brain that ensue from bilingualism. In doing so, we integrate theoretical models and empirical findings from linguistics, cognitive/developmental psychology, and neuroscience to examine the following issues: (1) whether the language neural network is different for first (dominant) versus second (nondominant) language processing; (2) the effects of bilinguals' executive functioning on the structure and function of the "universal" language neural network; (3) the differential effects of bilingualism on phonological, lexical-semantic, and syntactic aspects of language processing on the brain; and (4) the effects of age of acquisition and proficiency of the user's second language in the bilingual brain, and how these have implications for future research in neurolinguistics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becky Wong
- Education and Cognitive Development Lab, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616
| | - Bin Yin
- Education and Cognitive Development Lab, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616
| | - Beth O'Brien
- Education and Cognitive Development Lab, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616
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39
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Wei M, Joshi AA, Zhang M, Mei L, Manis FR, He Q, Beattie RL, Xue G, Shattuck DW, Leahy RM, Xue F, Houston SM, Chen C, Dong Q, Lu ZL. How age of acquisition influences brain architecture in bilinguals. JOURNAL OF NEUROLINGUISTICS 2015; 36:35-55. [PMID: 27695193 PMCID: PMC5045052 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroling.2015.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we explored how Age of Acquisition (AoA) of L2 affected brain structures in bilingual individuals. Thirty-six native English speakers who were bilingual were scanned with high resolution MRI. After MRI signal intensity inhomogeneity correction, we applied both voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM) approaches to the data. VBM analysis was performed using FSL's standard VBM processing pipeline. For the SBM analysis, we utilized a semi-automated sulci delineation procedure, registered the brains to an atlas, and extracted measures of twenty four pre-selected regions of interest. We addressed three questions: (1) Which areas are more susceptible to differences in AoA? (2) How do AoA, proficiency and current level of exposure work together in predicting structural differences in the brain? And (3) What is the direction of the effect of AoA on regional volumetric and surface measures? Both VBM and SBM results suggested that earlier second language exposure was associated with larger volumes in the right parietal cortex. Consistently, SBM showed that the cortical area of the right superior parietal lobule increased as AoA decreased. In contrast, in the right pars orbitalis of the inferior frontal gyrus, AoA, proficiency, and current level of exposure are equally important in accounting for the structural differences. We interpret our results in terms of current theory and research on the effects of L2 learning on brain structures and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Wei
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
| | - Anand A. Joshi
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2564, USA
| | - Mingxia Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Leilei Mei
- Center for Studies of Psychological Application and School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
| | - Franklin R. Manis
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
| | - Qinghua He
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
| | - Rachel L. Beattie
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging and Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Gui Xue
- National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - David W. Shattuck
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7334, USA
| | - Richard M. Leahy
- Signal and Image Processing Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2564, USA
| | - Feng Xue
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
| | - Suzanne M. Houston
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1061, USA
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Qi Dong
- National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhong-Lin Lu
- Center for Cognitive and Behavioral Brain Imaging and Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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Olulade OA, Jamal NI, Koo DS, Perfetti CA, LaSasso C, Eden GF. Neuroanatomical Evidence in Support of the Bilingual Advantage Theory. Cereb Cortex 2015; 26:3196-204. [PMID: 26184647 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhv152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The "bilingual advantage" theory stipulates that constant selection and suppression between 2 languages results in enhanced executive control (EC). Behavioral studies of EC in bilinguals have employed wide-ranging tasks and report some conflicting results. To avoid concerns about tasks, we employed a different approach, measuring gray matter volume (GMV) in adult bilinguals, reasoning that any EC-associated benefits should manifest as relatively greater frontal GMV. Indeed, Spanish-English-speaking bilinguals exhibited greater bilateral frontal GMV compared with English-speaking monolinguals. Was this observation attributable to the constant selection and inhibition of 2 spoken languages? To answer this question, we drew on bimodal bilinguals of American Sign Language (ASL) and English who, unlike unimodal bilinguals, can simultaneously use both languages and have been shown not to possess the EC advantage. In this group, there was no greater GMV when compared with monolinguals. Together these results provide neuroanatomical evidence in support of the bilingual advantage theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- O A Olulade
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - N I Jamal
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA
| | - D S Koo
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - C A Perfetti
- University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - C LaSasso
- Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA
| | - G F Eden
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20007, USA Gallaudet University, Washington, DC 20002, USA
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41
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Kaiser A, Eppenberger LS, Smieskova R, Borgwardt S, Kuenzli E, Radue EW, Nitsch C, Bendfeldt K. Age of second language acquisition in multilinguals has an impact on gray matter volume in language-associated brain areas. Front Psychol 2015; 6:638. [PMID: 26106338 PMCID: PMC4458568 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Numerous structural studies have established that experience shapes and reshapes the brain throughout a lifetime. The impact of early development, however, is still a matter of debate. Further clues may come from studying multilinguals who acquired their second language at different ages. We investigated adult multilinguals who spoke three languages fluently, where the third language was learned in classroom settings, not before the age of 9 years. Multilinguals exposed to two languages simultaneously from birth (SiM) were contrasted with multinguals who acquired their first two languages successively (SuM). Whole brain voxel based morphometry revealed that, relative to SuM, SiM have significantly lower gray matter volume in several language-associated cortical areas in both hemispheres: bilaterally in medial and inferior frontal gyrus, in the right medial temporal gyrus and inferior posterior parietal gyrus, as well as in the left inferior temporal gyrus. Thus, as shown by others, successive language learning increases the volume of language-associated cortical areas. In brains exposed early on and simultaneously to more than one language, however, learning of additional languages seems to have less impact. We conclude that – at least with respect to language acquisition – early developmental influences are maintained and have an effect on experience-dependent plasticity well into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anelis Kaiser
- Department of Social Psychology and Social Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern Switzerland
| | | | - Renata Smieskova
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Stefan Borgwardt
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Esther Kuenzli
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | | | - Cordula Nitsch
- Department of Biomedicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Basel, Basel Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Bendfeldt
- Medical Image Analysis Centre, University Hospital Basel, Basel Switzerland
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42
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Bilingualism alters brain functional connectivity between “control” regions and “language” regions: Evidence from bimodal bilinguals. Neuropsychologia 2015; 71:236-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Revised: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 04/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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43
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Hervais-Adelman A, Moser-Mercer B, Golestani N. Brain functional plasticity associated with the emergence of expertise in extreme language control. Neuroimage 2015; 114:264-74. [PMID: 25869858 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.03.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Revised: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to longitudinally examine brain plasticity arising from long-term, intensive simultaneous interpretation training. Simultaneous interpretation is a bilingual task with heavy executive control demands. We compared brain responses observed during simultaneous interpretation with those observed during simultaneous speech repetition (shadowing) in a group of trainee simultaneous interpreters, at the beginning and at the end of their professional training program. Age, sex and language-proficiency matched controls were scanned at similar intervals. Using multivariate pattern classification, we found distributed patterns of changes in functional responses from the first to second scan that distinguished the interpreters from the controls. We also found reduced recruitment of the right caudate nucleus during simultaneous interpretation as a result of training. Such practice-related change is consistent with decreased demands on multilingual language control as the task becomes more automatized with practice. These results demonstrate the impact of simultaneous interpretation training on the brain functional response in a cerebral structure that is not specifically linguistic, but that is known to be involved in learning, in motor control, and in a variety of domain-general executive functions. Along with results of recent studies showing functional and structural adaptations in the caudate nuclei of experts in a broad range of domains, our results underline the importance of this structure as a central node in expertise-related networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Hervais-Adelman
- Brain and Language Lab, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
| | | | - Narly Golestani
- Brain and Language Lab, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Switzerland
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Grant A, Dennis NA, Li P. Cognitive control, cognitive reserve, and memory in the aging bilingual brain. Front Psychol 2014; 5:1401. [PMID: 25520695 PMCID: PMC4253532 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/16/2014] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years bilingualism has been linked to both advantages in executive control and positive impacts on aging. Such positive cognitive effects of bilingualism have been attributed to the increased need for language control during bilingual processing and increased cognitive reserve, respectively. However, a mechanistic explanation of how bilingual experience contributes to cognitive reserve is still lacking. The current paper proposes a new focus on bilingual memory as an avenue to explore the relationship between executive control and cognitive reserve. We argue that this focus will enhance our understanding of the functional and structural neural mechanisms underlying bilingualism-induced cognitive effects. With this perspective we discuss and integrate recent cognitive and neuroimaging work on bilingual advantage, and suggest an account that links cognitive control, cognitive reserve, and brain reserve in bilingual aging and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Grant
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA ; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - Nancy A Dennis
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA ; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
| | - Ping Li
- Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA ; Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park PA, USA
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Krizman J, Slater J, Skoe E, Marian V, Kraus N. Neural processing of speech in children is influenced by extent of bilingual experience. Neurosci Lett 2014; 585:48-53. [PMID: 25445377 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Language experience fine-tunes how the auditory system processes sound. Bilinguals, relative to monolinguals, have more robust evoked responses to speech that manifest as stronger neural encoding of the fundamental frequency (F0) and greater across-trial consistency. However, it is unknown whether such enhancements increase with increasing second language experience. We predict that F0 amplitude and neural consistency scale with dual-language experience during childhood, such that more years of bilingual experience leads to more robust F0 encoding and greater neural consistency. To test this hypothesis, we recorded auditory brainstem responses to the synthesized syllables 'ba' and 'ga' in two groups of bilingual children who were matched for age at test (8.4 ± 0.67 years) but differed in their age of second language acquisition. One group learned English and Spanish simultaneously from birth (n=13), while the second group learned the two languages sequentially (n=15), spending on average their first four years as monolingual Spanish speakers. We find that simultaneous bilinguals have a larger F0 response to 'ba' and 'ga' and a more consistent response to 'ba' compared to sequential bilinguals and we demonstrate that these neural enhancements track with years of bilingual experience. These findings support the notion that bilingualism enhances subcortical auditory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Evanston, IL, USA(2); Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Jessica Slater
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Evanston, IL, USA(2); Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Erika Skoe
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Evanston, IL, USA(2); Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Viorica Marian
- Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Evanston, IL, USA(2); Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Evanston, IL, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Physiology, Evanston, IL, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.
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Pliatsikas C, Johnstone T, Marinis T. Grey matter volume in the cerebellum is related to the processing of grammatical rules in a second language: a structural voxel-based morphometry study. THE CEREBELLUM 2014; 13:55-63. [PMID: 23990323 PMCID: PMC3895203 DOI: 10.1007/s12311-013-0515-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The experience of learning and using a second language (L2) has been shown to affect the grey matter (GM) structure of the brain. Importantly, GM density in several cortical and subcortical areas has been shown to be related to performance in L2 tasks. Here, we show that bilingualism can lead to increased GM volume in the cerebellum, a structure that has been related to the processing of grammatical rules. Additionally, the cerebellar GM volume of highly proficient L2 speakers is correlated to their performance in a task tapping on grammatical processing in an L2, demonstrating the importance of the cerebellum for the establishment and use of grammatical rules in an L2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos Pliatsikas
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AL Reading, Berkshire UK
- Department of Clinical Language Sciences, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, RG6 6AL Reading, UK
| | - Tom Johnstone
- Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, Whiteknights, RG6 6AL Reading, Berkshire UK
- Department of Psychology, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, RG6 6AL Reading, UK
| | - Theodoros Marinis
- Department of Clinical Language Sciences, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, RG6 6AL Reading, UK
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Abutalebi J, Canini M, Della Rosa PA, Sheung LP, Green DW, Weekes BS. Bilingualism protects anterior temporal lobe integrity in aging. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:2126-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2013] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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48
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Paap KR, Johnson HA, Sawi O. Are bilingual advantages dependent upon specific tasks or specific bilingual experiences? JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2014.944914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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49
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Li P, Legault J, Litcofsky KA. Neuroplasticity as a function of second language learning: anatomical changes in the human brain. Cortex 2014; 58:301-24. [PMID: 24996640 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 230] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2014] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 05/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The brain has an extraordinary ability to functionally and physically change or reconfigure its structure in response to environmental stimulus, cognitive demand, or behavioral experience. This property, known as neuroplasticity, has been examined extensively in many domains. But how does neuroplasticity occur in the brain as a function of an individual's experience with a second language? It is not until recently that we have gained some understanding of this question by examining the anatomical changes as well as functional neural patterns that are induced by the learning and use of multiple languages. In this article we review emerging evidence regarding how structural neuroplasticity occurs in the brain as a result of one's bilingual experience. Our review aims at identifying the processes and mechanisms that drive experience-dependent anatomical changes, and integrating structural imaging evidence with current knowledge of functional neural plasticity of language and other cognitive skills. The evidence reviewed so far portrays a picture that is highly consistent with structural neuroplasticity observed for other domains: second language experience-induced brain changes, including increased gray matter (GM) density and white matter (WM) integrity, can be found in children, young adults, and the elderly; can occur rapidly with short-term language learning or training; and are sensitive to age, age of acquisition, proficiency or performance level, language-specific characteristics, and individual differences. We conclude with a theoretical perspective on neuroplasticity in language and bilingualism, and point to future directions for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Li
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States.
| | - Jennifer Legault
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States
| | - Kaitlyn A Litcofsky
- Center for Brain, Behavior, and Cognition, Center for Language Science, Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, United States
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50
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Klein D, Mok K, Chen JK, Watkins KE. Age of language learning shapes brain structure: a cortical thickness study of bilingual and monolingual individuals. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2014; 131:20-4. [PMID: 23819901 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2013.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Accepted: 05/18/2013] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
We examined the effects of learning a second language (L2) on brain structure. Cortical thickness was measured in the MRI datasets of 22 monolinguals and 66 bilinguals. Some bilingual subjects had learned both languages simultaneously (0-3 years) while some had learned their L2 after achieving proficiency in their first language during either early (4-7 years) or late childhood (8-13 years). Later acquisition of L2 was associated with significantly thicker cortex in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and thinner cortex in the right IFG. These effects were seen in the group comparisons of monolinguals, simultaneous bilinguals and early and late bilinguals. Within the bilingual group, significant correlations between age of acquisition of L2 and cortical thickness were seen in the same regions: cortical thickness correlated with age of acquisition positively in the left IFG and negatively in the right IFG. Interestingly, the monolinguals and simultaneous bilinguals did not differ in cortical thickness in any region. Our results show that learning a second language after gaining proficiency in the first language modifies brain structure in an age-dependent manner whereas simultaneous acquisition of two languages has no additional effect on brain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise Klein
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada.
| | - Kelvin Mok
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Jen-Kai Chen
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, 3801 University Street, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Kate E Watkins
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3UD, UK
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