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Rampinini A, Balboni I, Golestani N, Berthele R. A behavioural exploration of language aptitude and experience, cognition and more using Graph Analysis. Brain Res 2024; 1842:149109. [PMID: 38964704 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Language aptitude has recently regained interest in cognitive neuroscience. Traditional language aptitude testing included phonemic coding ability, associative memory, grammatical sensitivity and inductive language learning. Moreover, domain-general cognitive abilities are associated with individual differences in language aptitude, together with factors that have yet to be elucidated. Beyond domain-general cognition, it is also likely that aptitude and experience in domain-specific but non-linguistic fields (e.g. music or numerical processing) influence and are influenced by language aptitude. We investigated some of these relationships in a sample of 152 participants, using exploratory graph analysis, across different levels of regularisation, i.e. sensitivity. We carried out a meta cluster analysis in a second step to identify variables that are robustly grouped together. We discuss the data, as well as their meta-network groupings, at a baseline network sensitivity level, and in two analyses, one including and the other excluding dyslexic readers. Our results show a stable association between language and cognition, and the isolation of multilingual language experience, musicality and literacy. We highlight the necessity of a more comprehensive view of language and of cognition as multivariate systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Rampinini
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; National Centre for Competence in Research Evolving Language, Switzerland
| | - Irene Balboni
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Multilingualism, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; National Centre for Competence in Research Evolving Language, Switzerland
| | - Narly Golestani
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education Science, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; National Centre for Competence in Research Evolving Language, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Berthele
- Institute of Multilingualism, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; National Centre for Competence in Research Evolving Language, Switzerland.
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2
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Li X, Ng KK, Wong JJY, Zhou JH, Yow WQ. Brain gray matter morphometry relates to onset age of bilingualism and theory of mind in young and older adults. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3193. [PMID: 38326334 PMCID: PMC10850089 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48710-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Lifelong bilingualism may result in neural reserve against decline not only in the general cognitive domain, but also in social cognitive functioning. In this study, we show the brain structural correlates that are associated with second language age of acquisition (L2AoA) and theory of mind (the ability to reason about mental states) in normal aging. Participants were bilingual adults (46 young, 50 older) who completed a theory-of-mind task battery, a language background questionnaire, and an anatomical MRI scan to obtain cortical morphometric features (i.e., gray matter volume, thickness, and surface area). Findings indicated a theory-of-mind decline in older adults compared to young adults, controlling for education and general cognition. Importantly, earlier L2AoA and better theory-of-mind performance were associated with larger volume, higher thickness, and larger surface area in the bilateral temporal, medial temporal, superior parietal, and prefrontal brain regions. These regions are likely to be involved in mental representations, language, and cognitive control. The morphometric association with L2AoA in young and older adults were comparable, but its association with theory of mind was stronger in older adults than young adults. The results demonstrate that early bilingual acquisition may provide protective benefits to intact theory-of-mind abilities against normal age-related declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqian Li
- Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kwun Kei Ng
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Joey Ju Yu Wong
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Juan Helen Zhou
- Centre for Sleep and Cognition & Centre for Translational Magnetic Resonance Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
| | - W Quin Yow
- Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore, Singapore.
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3
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Zaretskaya N, Fink E, Arsenovic A, Ischebeck A. Fast and functionally specific cortical thickness changes induced by visual stimulation. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:2823-2837. [PMID: 35780393 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural characteristics of the human brain serve as important markers of brain development, aging, disease progression, and neural plasticity. They are considered stable properties, changing slowly over time. Multiple recent studies reported that structural brain changes measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may occur much faster than previously thought, within hours or even minutes. The mechanisms behind such fast changes remain unclear, with hemodynamics as one possible explanation. Here we investigated the functional specificity of cortical thickness changes induced by a flickering checkerboard and compared them to blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) functional MRI activity. We found that checkerboard stimulation led to a significant thickness increase, which was driven by an expansion at the gray-white matter boundary, functionally specific to V1, confined to the retinotopic representation of the checkerboard stimulus, and amounted to 1.3% or 0.022 mm. Although functional specificity and the effect size of these changes were comparable to those of the BOLD signal in V1, thickness effects were substantially weaker in V3. Furthermore, a comparison of predicted and measured thickness changes for different stimulus timings suggested a slow increase of thickness over time, speaking against a hemodynamic explanation. Altogether, our findings suggest that visual stimulation can induce structural gray matter enlargement measurable with MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Zaretskaya
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Mozartgasse 12, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Erik Fink
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Ana Arsenovic
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Mozartgasse 12, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Anja Ischebeck
- Department of Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Universitaetsplatz 2, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, Mozartgasse 12, 8010 Graz, Austria
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Boos M, Kobi M, Elmer S, Jäncke L. The influence of experience on cognitive load during simultaneous interpretation. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2022; 234:105185. [PMID: 36130466 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2022.105185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Simultaneous interpretation is a complex task that is assumed to be associated with a high workload. To corroborate this association, we measured workload during three tasks of increasing complexity: listening, shadowing, and interpreting, using electroencephalography and self-assessments in four groups of participants with varying experience in simultaneous interpretation. The self-assessment data showed that professional interpreters perceived the most workload-inducing condition, namely the interpreting task, as less demanding compared to the less experienced participants. This higher subjectively perceived workload in non-interpreters was paralleled by increasing frontal theta power values from listening to interpreting, whereas such a modulation was less pronounced in professional interpreters. Furthermore, regarding both workload measures, trainee interpreters were situated between professional interpreters and non-interpreters. Since the non-interpreters demonstrated high proficiencies and exposure in their second language, too, our findings provide evidence for an influence of interpretation training on experienced workload during simultaneous interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Boos
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/25, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Matthias Kobi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/25, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/25, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, Department of Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestrasse 14/25, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Andreasstrasse 15/2, 8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
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5
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Wang S, Fang L, Miao G, Li Z, Rao B, Cheng H. Atypical cortical thickness and folding of language regions in Chinese nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate children after speech rehabilitation. Front Neurol 2022; 13:996459. [PMID: 36203989 PMCID: PMC9531957 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.996459] [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: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Even after palatoplasty and speech rehabilitation, patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP) remain to produce pronunciation errors. We hypothesized that nonsyndromic CLP (NSCLP) after speech rehabilitation had structural abnormalities in language-related brain regions. This study investigates structural patterns in NSCLP children after speech rehabilitation using surface-based morphometry (SBM) analysis. Methods Forty-two children with NSCLP and 42 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were scanned for 3D T1-weighted images on a 3T MRI scanner. After reconstructing each brain surface, we computed SBM parameters and assessed between-group differences using two-sample t-tests and permutation tests (5,000 times). Then, we assessed the relationship between the SBM parameters and the Chinese language clear degree scale (CLCDS) using Pearson's correlation analysis. Result The speech-rehabilitated children with NSCLP showed lower cortical thickness and higher gyrification index mainly involving left language-related brain regions (permutation tests, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the lower cortical thickness of the left parahippocampal gyrus was positively correlated with CLCDS scores (r = 0.370, p = 0.017) in patients with NSCLP. Conclusion The SBM analysis showed that the structural abnormalities of speech-rehabilitated children with NSCLP mainly involved language-related brain regions, especially the dominant cerebral hemisphere. The structural abnormalities of the cortical thickness and folding in the language-related brain regions might be the neural mechanisms of speech errors in NSCLP children after speech rehabilitation. The cortical thickness of the parahippocampal gyrus may be a biomarker to evaluate pronunciation function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Wang
- Department of Neonatology, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Guofu Miao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Department of Rheumatism Immunology, Wuhan Children's Hospital (Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital), Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
- *Correspondence: Zhichao Li
| | - Bo Rao
- Department of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
- Bo Rao
| | - Hua Cheng
- Department of Radiology, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Beijing, China
- Hua Cheng
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6
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Boos M, Kobi M, Elmer S, Jäncke L. Tracking Lexical Access and Code-Switching in Multilingual Participants with Different Degrees of Simultaneous Interpretation Expertise. Eur J Neurosci 2022; 56:4869-4888. [PMID: 35904767 PMCID: PMC9544540 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15786] [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: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
With the worldwide increase in people speaking more than one language, a better understanding of the behavioural and neural mechanisms governing lexical selection, lexical access in multiple languages and code switching has attracted widespread interest from several disciplines. Previous studies documented higher costs when processing a non‐native (L2) than a native (L1) language or when switching from L2 to L1. However, studies on auditory language reception are still scarce and did not take into account the degree of switching experience. Accordingly, in the present study, we combined behavioural and electrophysiological measurements to assess lexical access in L1 and L2 as well as code switching in professional simultaneous interpreters, trainee interpreters, foreign language teachers and Anglistics students, while the participants performed a bilingual auditory lexical decision task. The purpose of this study was to expand the knowledge on code switching in auditory language processing and examine whether the degree of simultaneous interpretation experience might reduce switching costs. As a main result, we revealed that L2 compared to L1 trials, as well as switch compared to non‐switch trials, generally resulted in lower accuracies, longer reaction times and increased N400 amplitudes in all groups of participants. Otherwise, we did not reveal any influence of switching direction and interpretation expertise on N400 parameters. Taken together, these results suggest that a late age of L2 acquisition leads to switching costs, irrespective of proficiency level. Furthermore, we provided first evidence that simultaneous interpretation training does not diminish switching costs, at least when focusing on lexical access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Boos
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Kobi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, Department of Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program (URPP) "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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7
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Zheng Y, Kirk I, Chen T, O'Hagan M, Waldie KE. Task-Modulated Oscillation Differences in Auditory and Spoken Chinese-English Bilingual Processing: An Electroencephalography Study. Front Psychol 2022; 13:823700. [PMID: 35712178 PMCID: PMC9197074 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.823700] [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: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurophysiological research on the bilingual activity of interpretation or interpreting has been very fruitful in understanding the bilingual brain and has gained increasing popularity recently. Issues like word interpreting and the directionality of interpreting have been attended to by many researchers, mainly with localizing techniques. Brain structures such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex have been repeatedly identified during interpreting. However, little is known about the oscillation and synchronization features of interpreting, especially sentence-level overt interpreting. In this study we implemented a Chinese-English sentence-level overt interpreting experiment with electroencephalography on 43 Chinese-English bilinguals and compared the oscillation and synchronization features of interpreting with those of listening, speaking and shadowing. We found significant time-frequency power differences in the delta-theta (1–7 Hz) and gamma band (above 30 Hz) between motor and silent tasks. Further theta-gamma coupling analysis revealed different synchronization networks in between speaking, shadowing and interpreting, indicating an idea-formulation dependent mechanism. Moreover, interpreting incurred robust right frontotemporal gamma coactivation network compared with speaking and shadowing, which we think may reflect the language conversion process inherent in interpreting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxuan Zheng
- School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ian Kirk
- School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tengfei Chen
- School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China
| | - Minako O'Hagan
- School of Cultures Languages and Linguistics, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Karen E Waldie
- School of Psychology, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Centre for Brain Research, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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8
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Marin-Marin L, Costumero V, Ávila C, Pliatsikas C. Dynamic Effects of Immersive Bilingualism on Cortical and Subcortical Grey Matter Volumes. Front Psychol 2022; 13:886222. [PMID: 35586234 PMCID: PMC9109104 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.886222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bilingualism has been shown to induce neuroplasticity in the brain, but conflicting evidence regarding its specific effects in grey matter continues to emerge, probably due to methodological differences between studies, as well as approaches that may miss the variability and dynamicity of bilingual experience. In our study, we devised a continuous score of bilingual experiences and we investigated their non-linear effects on regional GM volume in a sample of young healthy participants from an immersive and naturalistic bilingual environment. We focused our analyses on cortical and subcortical regions that had been previously proposed as part of the bilingual speech pipeline and language control network. Our results showed a non-linear relationship between bilingualism score and grey matter volume of the inferior frontal gyrus. We also found linear increases in volumes of putamen and cerebellum as a function of bilingualism score. These results go in line with predictions for immersive and naturalistic bilingual environments with increased intensity and diversity of language use and provide further evidence supporting the dynamicity of bilingualism’s effects on brain structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidón Marin-Marin
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Victor Costumero
- Neuropsychology and Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Basic Psychology, Clinic and Psychobiology, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - César Ávila
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - Christos Pliatsikas
- School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.,Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición, Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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9
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He Y, Hu Y. Functional Connectivity Signatures Underlying Simultaneous Language Translation in Interpreters and Non-Interpreters of Mandarin and English: An fNIRS Study. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12020273. [PMID: 35204036 PMCID: PMC8870181 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12020273] [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: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging research has suggested that interpreters and non-interpreters elicit different brain activation patterns during simultaneous language translation. However, whether these two groups have different functional connectivity during such a task, and how the neural coupling is among brain subregions, are still not well understood. In this study, we recruited Mandarin (L1)/English (L2) interpreters and non-interpreter bilinguals, whom we asked to perform simultaneous language translation and reading tasks. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to collect cortical brain data for participants during each task, using 68 channels that covered the prefrontal cortex and the bilateral perisylvian regions. Our findings revealed both interpreter and non-interpreter groups recruited the right dorsolateral prefrontal hub when completing the simultaneous language translation tasks. We also found different functional connectivity between the groups. The interpreter group was characterized by information exchange between the frontal cortex and Wernicke’s area. In comparison, the non-interpreter group revealed neural coupling between the frontal cortex and Broca’s area. These findings indicate expertise modulates functional connectivity, possibly because of more developed cognitive skills associated with executive functions in interpreters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- College of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China;
| | - Yinying Hu
- Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai 200062, China
- Correspondence:
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10
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Zhang Y, Qin B, Wang L, Chen J, Cai J, Li T. Sex differences of language abilities of preschool children with autism spectrum disorder and their anatomical correlation with Broca and Wernicke areas. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:762621. [PMID: 35935349 PMCID: PMC9354665 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.762621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often have language difficulties. This study focuses on whether there are sex differences in language ability in children with ASD and aims to analyze whether such differences may arise from developmental imbalances in the anatomical structures of Broca and Wernicke areas. METHODS The language development quotient (DQ) scores of Gesell Developmental Scale (GDS) and the scores of language communication of Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) were used to judge the language ability, and the FREESURFER software extracted the anatomical structures of Broca and Wernicke areas on 3DT1 sequences. We analyzed the correlation between the anatomical structure of Broca/Wernicke areas and language abilities assessments. RESULTS The study initially included 44 cases of ASD, with 36 males (81.8 %) and 8 females (18.2%), and the age range was 24-72 months. Males have better language abilities than females. Specifically, the GDS verbal DQ of males was significantly higher than that of females (56.50 ± 18.02 vs. 29.23 ± 6.67, p < 0.001). Broca thickness-L was positively correlated with verbal DQ scores in GDS (r = 0.382, p = 0.011) and lower than grade 2 and 3 on the CARS verbal communication grade 4 (5.76 ± 0.17 vs. 6.21 ± 0.30 and 6.11 ± 0.35), with statistically significant differences between groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION There were sex differences in the language abilities of preschoolers with ASD, which may be due to an imbalance development of certain structures in Broca and Wernicke areas, especially Broca area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Clinical Big Data and Drug Evaluation, Medical Data Science, Academy of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Bin Qin
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Clinical Big Data and Drug Evaluation, Medical Data Science, Academy of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Longlun Wang
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jinhua Cai
- National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Child Development and Disorders, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Medical Research in Cognitive Development and Learning and Memory Disorders, Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Tingyu Li
- Children Nutrition Research Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
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11
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Vaughn KA, Nguyen MVH, Ronderos J, Hernandez AE. Cortical Thickness in bilingual and monolingual children: Relationships to language use and language skill. Neuroimage 2021; 243:118560. [PMID: 34506917 PMCID: PMC8543704 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a growing body of evidence based on adult neuroimaging that suggests that the brain adapts to bilingual experiences to support language proficiency. The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is a useful source of data for evaluating this claim during childhood, as it involves data from a large sample of American children. Using the baseline ABCD Study data collected at ages nine and ten, the goal of this study was to identify differences in cortical thickness between bilinguals and monolinguals and to evaluate how variability in English vocabulary and English use within bilinguals might explain these group differences. We identified bilingual participants as children who spoke a non-English language and were exposed to the non-English language at home. We then identified a matched sample of English monolingual participants based on age, sex, pubertal status, parent education, household income, non-verbal IQ, and handedness. Bilinguals had thinner cortex than monolinguals in widespread cortical regions. Within bilinguals, more English use was associated with greater frontal and parietal cortical thickness; greater English vocabulary was associated with greater frontal and temporal cortical thickness. These findings replicate and extend previous research with bilingual children and highlight unexplained cortical thickness differences between bilinguals and monolinguals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly A Vaughn
- University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - My V H Nguyen
- University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun Rd, Houston, TX 77004, USA
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12
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Xie Z, Antolovic K. Differential impacts of natural L2 immersion and intensive classroom L2 training on cognitive control. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2021; 75:550-562. [PMID: 34353169 DOI: 10.1177/17470218211040813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The relationship between bilingualism and cognitive control has been controversial. We believe that the discrepant findings are likely driven by the complexities of the bilingual experience, which is consistent with the Adaptive Control Hypothesis. The current study investigates whether the natural language immersion experience and the classroom intensive language training experience have differential impacts on cognitive control. Among unbalanced Chinese-English bilingual students, a natural L2 (second language) immersion group, an L2 public speaking training group, and a control bilingual group without immersion or training experience were compared on their cognitive control abilities, with the participants' demographic factors strictly controlled. The results showed that the L2 immersion group and the L2 speaking group had faster speed than the control group in the Flanker task, whereas the L2 immersion group had fewer errors than the other two groups in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). These results generally provide evidence in favour of the Adaptive Control Hypothesis, specifying that natural L2 immersion and L2 public speaking training experiences are distinctively related to cognitive control. The current study is the first of its kind to link specific bilingual experiences (natural L2 immersion vs. intensive L2 public speaking) with different components of cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilong Xie
- Foreign Languages College, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
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13
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He Y, Hu Y, Yang Y, Li D, Hu Y. Optical Mapping of Brain Activity Underlying Directionality and Its Modulation by Expertise in Mandarin/English Interpreting. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:649578. [PMID: 34421558 PMCID: PMC8377287 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.649578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent neuroimaging research has suggested that unequal cognitive efforts exist between interpreting from language 1 (L1) to language 2 (L2) compared with interpreting from L2 to L1. However, the neural substrates that underlie this directionality effect are not yet well understood. Whether directionality is modulated by interpreting expertise also remains unknown. In this study, we recruited two groups of Mandarin (L1)/English (L2) bilingual speakers with varying levels of interpreting expertise and asked them to perform interpreting and reading tasks. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to collect cortical brain data for participants during each task, using 68 channels that covered the prefrontal cortex and the bilateral perisylvian regions. The interpreting-related neuroimaging data was normalized by using both L1 and L2 reading tasks, to control the function of reading and vocalization respectively. Our findings revealed the directionality effect in both groups, with forward interpreting (from L1 to L2) produced more pronounced brain activity, when normalized for reading. We also found that directionality was modulated by interpreting expertise in both normalizations. For the group with relatively high expertise, the activated brain regions included the right Broca's area and the left premotor and supplementary motor cortex; whereas for the group with relatively low expertise, the activated brain areas covered the superior temporal gyrus, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the Broca's area, and visual area 3 in the right hemisphere. These findings indicated that interpreting expertise modulated brain activation, possibly because of more developed cognitive skills associated with executive functions in experienced interpreters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan He
- College of Foreign Languages and Literatures, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinying Hu
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yaxi Yang
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Defeng Li
- Centre for Studies of Translation, Interpreting and Cognition, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Yi Hu
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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14
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The signing body: extensive sign language practice shapes the size of hands and face. Exp Brain Res 2021; 239:2233-2249. [PMID: 34028597 PMCID: PMC8282562 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06121-9] [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: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The representation of the metrics of the hands is distorted, but is susceptible to malleability due to expert dexterity (magicians) and long-term tool use (baseball players). However, it remains unclear whether modulation leads to a stable representation of the hand that is adopted in every circumstance, or whether the modulation is closely linked to the spatial context where the expertise occurs. To this aim, a group of 10 experienced Sign Language (SL) interpreters were recruited to study the selective influence of expertise and space localisation in the metric representation of hands. Experiment 1 explored differences in hands’ size representation between the SL interpreters and 10 age-matched controls in near-reaching (Condition 1) and far-reaching space (Condition 2), using the localisation task. SL interpreters presented reduced hand size in near-reaching condition, with characteristic underestimation of finger lengths, and reduced overestimation of hands and wrists widths in comparison with controls. This difference was lost in far-reaching space, confirming the effect of expertise on hand representations is closely linked to the spatial context where an action is performed. As SL interpreters are also experts in the use of their face with communication purposes, the effects of expertise in the metrics of the face were also studied (Experiment 2). SL interpreters were more accurate than controls, with overall reduction of width overestimation. Overall, expertise modifies the representation of relevant body parts in a specific and context-dependent manner. Hence, different representations of the same body part can coexist simultaneously.
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15
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Tao L, Wang G, Zhu M, Cai Q. Bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 125:264-295. [PMID: 33631315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A large body of research has indicated that bilingualism - through continual practice in language control - may impact cognitive functions, as well as relevant aspects of brain function and structure. The present review aimed to bring together findings on the relationship between bilingualism and domain-general cognitive functions from a neural perspective. The final sample included 210 studies, covering findings regarding neural responses to bilingual language control and/or domain-general cognitive tasks, as well as findings regarding effects of bilingualism on non-task-related brain function and brain structure. The evidence indicates that a) bilingual language control likely entails neural mechanisms responsible for domain-general cognitive functions; b) bilingual experiences impact neural responses to domain-general cognitive functions; and c) bilingual experiences impact non-task-related brain function (both resting-state and metabolic function) as well as aspects of brain structure (both macrostructure and microstructure), each of which may in turn impact mental processes, including domain-general cognitive functions. Such functional and structural neuroplasticity associated with bilingualism may contribute to both cognitive and neural reserves, producing benefits across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily Tao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Gongting Wang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Miaomiao Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China
| | - Qing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, China; Institute of Brain and Education Innovation, East China Normal University, China; NYU-ECNU Institute of Brain and Cognitive Science, New York University Shanghai, China.
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16
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Brief Mindfulness Meditation Induces Gray Matter Changes in a Brain Hub. Neural Plast 2020; 2020:8830005. [PMID: 33299395 PMCID: PMC7704181 DOI: 10.1155/2020/8830005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that the practice of long-term (months to years) mindfulness meditation induces structural plasticity in gray matter. However, it remains unknown whether short-term (<30 days) mindfulness meditation in novices could induce similar structural changes. Our previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) identified white matter changes surrounding the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) within 2 to 4 weeks, following 5-10 h of mindfulness training. Furthermore, these changes were correlated with emotional states in healthy adults. The PCC is a key hub in the functional anatomy implicated in meditation and other perspectival processes. In this longitudinal study using a randomized design, we therefore examined the effect of a 10 h of mindfulness training, the Integrative Body-Mind Training (IBMT) on gray matter volume of the PCC compared to an active control-relaxation training (RT). We found that brief IBMT increased ventral PCC volume and that baseline temperamental trait-an index of individual differences was associated with a reduction in training-induced gray matter increases. Our findings indicate that brief mindfulness meditation induces gray matter plasticity, suggesting that structural changes in ventral PCC-a key hub associated with self-awareness, emotion, cognition, and aging-may have important implications for protecting against mood-related disorders and aging-related cognitive declines.
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17
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Jäncke L, Liem F, Merillat S. Are language skills related to structural features in Broca's and Wernicke's area? Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:1124-1135. [PMID: 33179366 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study used structural magnetic resonance imaging to examine whether specific anatomical features of Broca's and Wernicke's areas are related to language functions in typically developing older subjects with no specific language expertize. Data from 231 subjects from the Zurich LHAB-study are used for this study. For these subjects, we obtained several psychometric measures from which we calculated performance measures reflecting specific psychological functions (language comprehension, verbal fluency, perceptual speed, visual memory, recognition of regularities, and logical thinking). From the MRI measurements, we calculated the cortical thickness and cortical surface of Broca's and Wernicke's areas. Applying multiple regression analyses, we identified a moderately strong relationship between language comprehension and the brain metrics from Broca's and Wernicke's areas and showed that approximately 10% of the variance in language comprehension performance is explained by the linear combination of all perisylvian brain metrics. The other psychological functions (verbal fluency, perceptual speed, visual memory, recognition of regularities, and logical thinking) are not related to these brain metrics. Subsequent detailed analyses revealed that the cortical thickness of Wernicke's area, in particular, contributed most to this structure-function relationship. The better performance in the language comprehension tests was related to a thicker cortex in Wernicke's area. Thus, this study demonstrates a structure-function relationship between the anatomical features of the perisylvian language areas and language comprehension, suggesting that particular anatomical features are associated with better language performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutz Jäncke
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", University, Zurich, Switzerland.,Zurich Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franz Liem
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", University, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susan Merillat
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,University Research Priority Program "Dynamic of Healthy Aging", University, Zurich, Switzerland
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18
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Ferreira A, Schwieter JW, Festman J. Cognitive and Neurocognitive Effects From the Unique Bilingual Experiences of Interpreters. Front Psychol 2020; 11:548755. [PMID: 33132957 PMCID: PMC7550398 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.548755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For bilinguals, research suggests that both languages are constantly active and competing in the mind, even when only using one. However, this body of work has reported inconclusive results on the long-term effects of the constant parallel activation and use of more than one language on the brain. This has mostly been due to inconsistent comparisons between groups of bilinguals and monolinguals. Not all bilingualisms are the same. The investigation of the use of more than one language over a lifetime offers the opportunity to better understand the consequences of bilingualism on the brain. However, few studies have specifically looked at the long-standing effects of being an interpreter. In this paper, we review theories from the field of Translation and Interpreting Studies and provide a critical review of work that offers insight on the cognitive and neurocognitive effects that seem to arise from the unique, highly-cognitive-demanding practices experienced by interpreters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Ferreira
- Bilingualism, Translation, and Cognition Laboratory, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - John W Schwieter
- Language Acquisition, Multilingualism, and Cognition Laboratory, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - Julia Festman
- Multilingualism Research Team, Institute for Research and Development (IFE), University College of Teacher Education, Tyrol, Austria
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19
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Torres-Prioris MJ, López-Barroso D, Càmara E, Fittipaldi S, Sedeño L, Ibáñez A, Berthier ML, García AM. Neurocognitive signatures of phonemic sequencing in expert backward speakers. Sci Rep 2020; 10:10621. [PMID: 32606382 PMCID: PMC7326922 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67551-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its prolific growth, neurolinguistic research on phonemic sequencing has largely neglected the study of individuals with highly developed skills in this domain. To bridge this gap, we report multidimensional signatures of two experts in backward speech, that is, the capacity to produce utterances by reversing the order of phonemes while retaining their identity. Our approach included behavioral assessments of backward and forward speech alongside neuroimaging measures of voxel-based morphometry, diffusion tensor imaging, and resting-state functional connectivity. Relative to controls, both backward speakers exhibited behavioral advantages for reversing words and sentences of varying complexity, irrespective of working memory skills. These patterns were accompanied by increased grey matter volume, higher mean diffusivity, and enhanced functional connectivity along dorsal and ventral stream regions mediating phonological and other linguistic operations, with complementary support of areas subserving associative-visual and domain-general processes. Still, the specific loci of these neural patterns differed between both subjects, suggesting individual variability in the correlates of expert backward speech. Taken together, our results offer new vistas on the domain of phonemic sequencing, while illuminating neuroplastic patterns underlying extraordinary language abilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Torres-Prioris
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Area of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Diana López-Barroso
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain.,Area of Psychobiology, Faculty of Psychology and Speech Therapy, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Estela Càmara
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Unit, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sol Fittipaldi
- Universidad de San Andrés, Vito Dumas 284, B1644BID Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas Sedeño
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Universidad de San Andrés, Vito Dumas 284, B1644BID Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia.,Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile.,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, United States
| | - Marcelo L Berthier
- Cognitive Neurology and Aphasia Unit, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-Sanitarias, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA), University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain
| | - Adolfo M García
- Universidad de San Andrés, Vito Dumas 284, B1644BID Victoria, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Global Brain Health Institute, University of California, San Francisco, United States. .,Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina. .,Departamento de Lingüística Y Literatura, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
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20
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Guo P, Li Q, Wang X, Li X, Wang S, Xie Y, Xie Y, Fu Z, Zhang X, Li S. Structural Covariance Changes of Anterior and Posterior Hippocampus During Musical Training in Young Adults. Front Neuroanat 2020; 14:20. [PMID: 32508600 PMCID: PMC7248297 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2020.00020] [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: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Musical training can induce the functional and structural changes of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is not a homogeneous structure which can be divided into anterior and posterior parts along its longitudinal axis, and the whole-brain structural covariances of anterior (aHC) and posterior hippocampus (pHC) show distinct patterns in young adults. However, little is known about whether the anterior and posterior hippocampal structural covariances change after long-term musical training. Here, we investigated the musical training-induced changes of the whole-brain structural covariances of bilateral aHC and pHC in a longitudinal designed experiment with two groups (training group and control group) across three time points [the beginning (TP1) and the end (TP2) of 24 weeks of training, and 12 weeks after training (TP3)]. Using seed partial least square, we identified two significant patterns of structural covariance of the aHC and pHC. The first showed common structural covariance of the aHC and pHC. The second pattern revealed distinct structural covariance of the two regions and reflected the changes of structural covariance of the left pHC in the training group across three time points: the left pHC showed significant structural covariance with bilateral hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, left calcarine sulcus only at TP1 and TP3. Furthermore, the integrity of distinct structural networks of aHC and pHC in the second pattern significantly increased in the training group. Our findings suggest that musical training could change the organization of structural whole-brain covariance for left pHC and enhance the degree of the structural covariance network differentiation of the aHC and pHC in young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panfei Guo
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiongling Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Xuetong Wang
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Shaoyi Wang
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongqi Xie
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Yachao Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.,Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenrong Fu
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuyu Li
- School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China
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21
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Dottori M, Hesse E, Santilli M, Vilas MG, Martorell Caro M, Fraiman D, Sedeño L, Ibáñez A, García AM. Task-specific signatures in the expert brain: Differential correlates of translation and reading in professional interpreters. Neuroimage 2020; 209:116519. [PMID: 31923603 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Insights on the neurocognitive particularities of expert individuals have benefited from language studies on professional simultaneous interpreters (PSIs). Accruing research indicates that behavioral advantages in this population are restricted to those skills that are directly taxed during professional practice (e.g., translation as opposed to reading), but little is known about the neural signatures of such selective effects. To illuminate the issue, we recruited 17 PSIs and 15 non-interpreter bilinguals and compared behavioral and electrophysiological markers of word reading and translation from and into their native and non-native languages (L1 and L2, respectively). PSIs exhibited greater delta-theta (1-8 Hz) power across all tasks over varying topographies, but these were accompanied by faster performance only in the case of translation conditions. Moreover, neural differences in PSIs were most marked for L2-L1 translation (the dominant interpreting direction in their market), which exhibited maximally widespread modulations that selectively correlated with behavioral outcomes. Taken together, our results suggest that interpreting experience involves distinct neural signatures across reading and translation mechanisms, but that these are systematically related with processing efficiency only in domains that face elevated demands during everyday practice (i.e., L2-L1 translation). These findings can inform models of simultaneous interpreting, in particular, and expert cognitive processing, in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dottori
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Eugenia Hesse
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Matemática, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Micaela Santilli
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Martina G Vilas
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Miguel Martorell Caro
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Fraiman
- National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Departamento de Matemática, Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas Sedeño
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustín Ibáñez
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Universidad Autónoma del Caribe, Barranquilla, Colombia; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago de Chile, Chile; Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Australian Research Council (ACR), Sydney, Australia
| | - Adolfo M García
- Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Neuroscience (LPEN), Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCYT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina; National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina; Faculty of Education, National University of Cuyo (UNCuyo), Mendoza, Argentina.
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22
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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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23
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Nour S, Struys E, Stengers H. Attention Network in Interpreters: The Role of Training and Experience. Behav Sci (Basel) 2019; 9:E43. [PMID: 31018592 PMCID: PMC6523145 DOI: 10.3390/bs9040043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship found between interpreting training and experience and the attentional network components: Alerting, orienting, and executive attention using the Attention Network Test (ANT). In the current study we tested three groups of interpreting students, translation students, and professional interpreters as specific forms of multilingual expertise. The student groups were tested longitudinally at the beginning and the end of their Master's programme. The professional interpreters were tested only one point in time. The results showed different attention network dynamics for the interpreting students compared to the translation students regarding alertness and executive network. First, the interpreting students showed a higher conflict effect when the alert cue was presented as well as a reduced accuracy compared to translation students. Second, the interpreting training had less effect on alerting than the translation training. Finally, two student groups showed a faster response time in conflict effect than the professional interpreters. In contrast, the professional interpreters scored a higher accuracy than two-student groups specifically in an incongruent alert condition, which confirms that they used a different responding strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soudabeh Nour
- Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
- Centre for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
| | - Esli Struys
- Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
- Centre for Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
- Centre for Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
| | - Hélène Stengers
- Brussels Institute for Applied Linguistics, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Brussel, Belgium.
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24
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Elmer S, Hänggi J, Vaquero L, Cadena GO, François C, Rodríguez-Fornells A. Tracking the microstructural properties of the main white matter pathways underlying speech processing in simultaneous interpreters. Neuroimage 2019; 191:518-528. [PMID: 30831314 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.02.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the high linguistic and cognitive demands placed on real-time language translation, professional simultaneous interpreters (SIs) have previously been proposed to serve as a reasonable model for evaluating experience-dependent brain properties. However, currently it is still unknown whether intensive language training during adulthood might be reflected in microstructural changes in language-related white matter pathways contributing to sound-to-meaning mapping, auditory-motor integration, and verbal memory functions. Accordingly, we used a fully automated probabilistic tractography algorithm and compared the white matter microstructure of the bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF), uncinate fasciculus (UF), and arcuate fasciculus (AF, long and anterior segments) between professional SIs and multilingual control participants. In addition, we classically re-evaluated the three constitutional elements of the AF (long, anterior, and posterior segments) using a deterministic manual dissection procedure. Automated probabilistic tractography demonstrated overall reduced mean fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased radial diffusivity (RD) in SIs in the fiber tracts of the left hemisphere (LH). Furthermore, SIs exhibited reduced mean FA in the bilateral AF. However, according to manual dissection, this effect was limited to the anterior AF segment and accompanied by increased mean RD. Deterministic AF reconstruction also uncovered increased mean FA in the right and RD in the left long AF segment in SIs compared to controls. These results point to a relationship between simultaneous interpreting and white matter organization of pathways underlying speech and language processing in the language-dominant LH as well as of the AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Elmer
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Jürgen Hänggi
- Division Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Lucía Vaquero
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Education Pychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain; Laboratory of Motor learning and Neural Plasticity, Concordia University, 7141 Rue Sherbrooke West, H4B 1R6, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Guillem Olivé Cadena
- Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Clément François
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca Pediàtrica Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Barcelona, Spain; Aix Marseille University, CNRS, LPL, Aix-en-Provence, France.
| | - Antoni Rodríguez-Fornells
- Cognition and Brain Plasticity Group, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, Campus Bellvitge, University of Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08097, Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, ICREA, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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Klein C, Metz SI, Elmer S, Jäncke L. The interpreter's brain during rest - Hyperconnectivity in the frontal lobe. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202600. [PMID: 30138477 PMCID: PMC6107212 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Language in its highest complexity is a unique human faculty with simultaneous translation being among the most demanding language task involving both linguistic and executive functions. In this context, bilingually grown up individuals as well as simultaneous interpreters (SIs) represent appropriate groups for studying expertise-related neural adaptations in the human brain. The present study was performed to examine if a domain-specific neural network activation pattern, constituted by brain regions involved in speech processing as well as cognitive control mechanisms can be detected during a task-free resting state condition. To investigate this, electroencephalographic (EEG) data were recorded from 16 SIs and 16 age and gender-matched multilingual control subjects. Graph-theoretical network analyses revealed interhemispheric hyperconnectivity between the ventral part of the prefrontal cortex (pars opercularis and pars triangularis) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in language experts compared to multilingual controls in the alpha frequency range. This finding suggests that the high cognitive demands placed on simultaneous interpreting lead to an increased neural communication between prefrontal brain regions essentially engaged in supporting executive control—a neural fingerprint that is even detectable during rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Klein
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Silvana Iris Metz
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Elmer
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Jäncke
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- International Normal Aging and Plasticity Imaging Center (INAPIC), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program (URPP), Dynamic of Healthy Aging, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Special Education, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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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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Dong Y, Liu Y, Cai R. How Does Consecutive Interpreting Training Influence Working Memory: A Longitudinal Study of Potential Links Between the Two. Front Psychol 2018; 9:875. [PMID: 29922199 PMCID: PMC5996275 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With an intention to contribute to the issue of how language experience may influence working memory (WM), we focused on consecutive interpreting (CI), analyzed its potential links with WM functions and tested these links in a longitudinal experiment, trying to answer the specific question of how CI training may influence WM. Two comparable groups of Chinese learners of English received either CI or general second language (L2) training for one semester, and were tested before and after the training with the tasks of n-back (non-verbal updating), L2 listening span, and letter running span (verbal spans). CI performance was tested in the posttest. The results showed that (1) updating efficiency in both the pretest and posttest predicted CI performance, and CI training enhanced updating efficiency while general L2 training did not; (2) the relationship between verbal spans and CI performance was weaker (i.e., only pretest L2 listening span correlated with CI performance and predicted CI performance with marginal significance), and CI training did not make a unique contribution to these spans (i.e., no group differences). The results indicated an "interpreter advantage" in updating, which was probably due to that updating was more central in the CI task than WM spans. Theoretically, we believe that updating and CI are closely related because they share the same underlying mechanism, or more specifically updating and the recalling process in the CI task share the same attentional control process, a unique link between updating and the CI task. Methodological implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanping Dong
- Bilingual Cognition and Development Lab, National Center for Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhua Liu
- College of Foreign Studies, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rendong Cai
- School of English and Education, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China
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Lin X, Lei VLC, Li D, Yuan Z. Which is more costly in Chinese to English simultaneous interpreting, "pairing" or "transphrasing"? Evidence from an fNIRS neuroimaging study. NEUROPHOTONICS 2018; 5:025010. [PMID: 29876369 PMCID: PMC5987679 DOI: 10.1117/1.nph.5.2.025010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the neural mechanism underlying two translation strategies associated with Chinese to English simultaneous interpreting (SI) targeting the left prefrontal cortex (PFC), which is generally involved in the control of interference and conflict resolution and has been identified as the brain area that plays a pivotal role in SI. Brain activation associated with the two strategies including "pairing" and "transphrasing" were compared with that from "nontranslation," which keeps the source language item unchanged in the target language production and is considered as a tactic that does not require complex cognitive operation associated with bilingual processing effort. Our findings revealed that "pairing" elicited the strongest and almost immediate brain activation in the Broca's area, and "transphrasing" resulted in the most extensive and strongest activation overall in the left PFC. By contrast, "nontranslation" induced very little brain activation in these regions. This work, which represents one of the first efforts in investigating brain activation related to translation strategies involving different levels of cognitive control, will not only pave a new avenue for better understanding of the cognitive mechanism underlying SI but also provide further insight into the role that the Broca's region plays in domain-general cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohong Lin
- University of Macau, Bioimaging Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, Macao, China
- Hangzhou Normal University, Institutes of Psychological Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Victoria Lai Cheng Lei
- University of Macau, Centre for Studies of Translation, Interpreting and Cognition, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Macao, China
| | - Defeng Li
- University of Macau, Centre for Studies of Translation, Interpreting and Cognition, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Macao, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- University of Macau, Bioimaging Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, Macao, China
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