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Amoruso L, García AM, Pusil S, Timofeeva P, Quiñones I, Carreiras M. Decoding bilingualism from resting-state oscillatory network organization. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2024; 1534:106-117. [PMID: 38419368 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Can lifelong bilingualism be robustly decoded from intrinsic brain connectivity? Can we determine, using a spectrally resolved approach, the oscillatory networks that better predict dual-language experience? We recorded resting-state magnetoencephalographic activity in highly proficient Spanish-Basque bilinguals and Spanish monolinguals, calculated functional connectivity at canonical frequency bands, and derived topological network properties using graph analysis. These features were fed into a machine learning classifier to establish how robustly they discriminated between the groups. The model showed excellent classification (AUC: 0.91 ± 0.12) between individuals in each group. The key drivers of classification were network strength in beta (15-30 Hz) and delta (2-4 Hz) rhythms. Further characterization of these networks revealed the involvement of temporal, cingulate, and fronto-parietal hubs likely underpinning the language and default-mode networks (DMNs). Complementary evidence from a correlation analysis showed that the top-ranked features that better discriminated individuals during rest also explained interindividual variability in second language (L2) proficiency within bilinguals, further supporting the robustness of the machine learning model in capturing trait-like markers of bilingualism. Overall, our results show that long-term experience with an L2 can be "brain-read" at a fine-grained level from resting-state oscillatory network organization, highlighting its pervasive impact, particularly within language and DMN networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Amoruso
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adolfo M García
- Cognitive Neuroscience Center (CNC), Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Global Brain Health Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Departamento de Lingüística y Literatura, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sandra Pusil
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Polina Timofeeva
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Ileana Quiñones
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Manuel Carreiras
- Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language (BCBL), San Sebastian, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
- Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain
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2
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Elmer S, Besson M, Rodriguez-Fornells A, Giroud N. Foreign speech sound discrimination and associative word learning lead to a fast reconfiguration of resting-state networks. Neuroimage 2023; 271:120026. [PMID: 36921678 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Learning new words in an unfamiliar language is a complex endeavor that requires the orchestration of multiple perceptual and cognitive functions. Although the neural mechanisms governing word learning are becoming better understood, little is known about the predictive value of resting-state (RS) metrics for foreign word discrimination and word learning attainment. In addition, it is still unknown which of the multistep processes involved in word learning have the potential to rapidly reconfigure RS networks. To address these research questions, we used electroencephalography (EEG), measured forty participants, and examined scalp-based power spectra, source-based spectral density maps and functional connectivity metrics before (RS1), in between (RS2) and after (RS3) a series of tasks which are known to facilitate the acquisition of new words in a foreign language, namely word discrimination, word-referent mapping and semantic generalization. Power spectra at the scalp level consistently revealed a reconfiguration of RS networks as a function of foreign word discrimination (RS1 vs. RS2) and word learning (RS1 vs. RS3) tasks in the delta, lower and upper alpha, and upper beta frequency ranges. Otherwise, functional reconfigurations at the source level were restricted to the theta (spectral density maps) and to the lower and upper alpha frequency bands (spectral density maps and functional connectivity). Notably, scalp RS changes related to the word discrimination tasks (difference between RS2 and RS1) correlated with word discrimination abilities (upper alpha band) and semantic generalization performance (theta and upper alpha bands), whereas functional changes related to the word learning tasks (difference between RS3 and RS1) correlated with word discrimination scores (lower alpha band). Taken together, these results highlight that foreign speech sound discrimination and word learning have the potential to rapidly reconfigure RS networks at multiple functional scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Elmer
- Department of Computational Linguistics, Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; Competence center Language & Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Mireille Besson
- Laboratoire de Neurosciences Cognitives, Université Publique de France, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Antoni Rodriguez-Fornells
- Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain; University of Barcelona, Spain; Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nathalie Giroud
- Department of Computational Linguistics, Computational Neuroscience of Speech & Hearing, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Center for Neuroscience Zurich, University and ETH of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Competence center Language & Medicine, University of Zurich, Switzerland
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3
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Calvo N, Grundy JG, Bialystok E. Bilingualism modulates neural efficiency at rest through alpha reactivity. Neuropsychologia 2023; 180:108486. [PMID: 36657519 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate how resting state EEG rhythms reflect attentional processes and bilingual experience. We compared alpha and beta rhythms for monolingual and bilingual young adults in eyes open and eyes closed conditions using EEG measures of frequency power, reactivity, and coherence. Power shows the amount of brain activity at a given frequency band; reactivity indexes the desynchronization of neuronal activity when individuals open their eyes at rest; and coherence indicates the brain regions that have correlated activity. The results showed that bilinguals had similar alpha power as monolinguals in both resting conditions but less alpha reactivity across the whole scalp. There was also more focused activation for bilinguals expressed as more coherence in posterior electrodes, particularly when eyes were opened to direct attention. For beta, there were no group differences in power or reactivity, but there was higher coherence for monolinguals than bilinguals, a pattern consistent with previous literature showing that beta frequency was related to language learning and native language proficiency. These results are in line with a neural efficiency theory and suggest that bilinguals have a more efficient brain for attentional mechanisms than monolinguals at rest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelia Calvo
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - John G Grundy
- Department of Psychology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Ellen Bialystok
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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Huang Y, Deng Y, Jiang X, Chen Y, Mao T, Xu Y, Jiang C, Rao H. Resting-state occipito-frontal alpha connectome is linked to differential word learning ability in adult learners. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:953315. [PMID: 36188469 PMCID: PMC9521374 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.953315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult language learners show distinct abilities in acquiring a new language, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. Previous studies suggested that resting-state brain connectome may contribute to individual differences in learning ability. Here, we recorded electroencephalography (EEG) in a large cohort of 106 healthy young adults (50 males) and examined the associations between resting-state alpha band (8–12 Hz) connectome and individual learning ability during novel word learning, a key component of new language acquisition. Behavioral data revealed robust individual differences in the performance of the novel word learning task, which correlated with their performance in the language aptitude test. EEG data showed that individual resting-state alpha band coherence between occipital and frontal regions positively correlated with differential word learning performance (p = 0.001). The significant positive correlations between resting-state occipito-frontal alpha connectome and differential world learning ability were replicated in an independent cohort of 35 healthy adults. These findings support the key role of occipito-frontal network in novel word learning and suggest that resting-state EEG connectome may be a reliable marker for individual ability during new language learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Huang
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
- School of Foreign Languages, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yao Deng
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoming Jiang
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiyuan Chen
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianxin Mao
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Xu
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Caihong Jiang
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hengyi Rao
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research, Key Laboratory of Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
- Institute of Linguistics, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai, China
- Center for Functional Neuroimaging, Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hengyi Rao,
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Pereira Soares SM, Prystauka Y, DeLuca V, Rothman J. Type of bilingualism conditions individual differences in the oscillatory dynamics of inhibitory control. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:910910. [PMID: 35966987 PMCID: PMC9369864 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.910910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study uses EEG time-frequency representations (TFRs) with a Flanker task to investigate if and how individual differences in bilingual language experience modulate neurocognitive outcomes (oscillatory dynamics) in two bilingual group types: late bilinguals (L2 learners) and early bilinguals (heritage speakers-HSs). TFRs were computed for both incongruent and congruent trials. The difference between the two (Flanker effect vis-à-vis cognitive interference) was then (1) compared between the HSs and the L2 learners, (2) modeled as a function of individual differences with bilingual experience within each group separately and (3) probed for its potential (a)symmetry between brain and behavioral data. We found no differences at the behavioral and neural levels for the between-groups comparisons. However, oscillatory dynamics (mainly theta increase and alpha suppression) of inhibition and cognitive control were found to be modulated by individual differences in bilingual language experience, albeit distinctly within each bilingual group. While the results indicate adaptations toward differential brain recruitment in line with bilingual language experience variation overall, this does not manifest uniformly. Rather, earlier versus later onset to bilingualism-the bilingual type-seems to constitute an independent qualifier to how individual differences play out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Miguel Pereira Soares
- Department of Linguistics, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Language Development Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Yanina Prystauka
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Vincent DeLuca
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jason Rothman
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Nebrija Research Center in Cognition, University of Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
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Global and localized network characteristics of the resting brain predict and adapt to foreign language learning in older adults. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3633. [PMID: 35256672 PMCID: PMC8901791 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07629-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Resting brain (rs) activity has been shown to be a reliable predictor of the level of foreign language (L2) proficiency younger adults can achieve in a given time-period. Since rs properties change over the lifespan, we investigated whether L2 attainment in older adults (aged 64–74 years) is also predicted by individual differences in rs activity, and to what extent rs activity itself changes as a function of L2 proficiency. To assess how neuronal assemblies communicate at specific frequencies to facilitate L2 development, we examined localized and global measures (Minimum Spanning Trees) of connectivity. Results showed that central organization within the beta band (~ 13–29.5 Hz) predicted measures of L2 complexity, fluency and accuracy, with the latter additionally predicted by a left-lateralized centro-parietal beta network. In contrast, reduced connectivity in a right-lateralized alpha (~ 7.5–12.5 Hz) network predicted development of L2 complexity. As accuracy improved, so did central organization in beta, whereas fluency improvements were reflected in localized changes within an interhemispheric beta network. Our findings highlight the importance of global and localized network efficiency and the role of beta oscillations for L2 learning and suggest plasticity even in the ageing brain. We interpret the findings against the background of networks identified in socio-cognitive processes.
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Pereira Soares SM, Kubota M, Rossi E, Rothman J. Determinants of bilingualism predict dynamic changes in resting state EEG oscillations. BRAIN AND LANGUAGE 2021; 223:105030. [PMID: 34634607 DOI: 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.105030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study uses resting state EEG data from 103 bilinguals to understand how determinants of bilingualism may reshape the mind/brain. Participants completed the LSBQ, which quantifies language use and crucially the division of labor of dual-language use in diverse activities and settings over the lifespan. We hypothesized correlations between the degree of active bilingualism with power of neural oscillations in specific frequency bands. Moreover, we anticipated levels of mean coherence (connectivity between brain regions) to vary by degree of bilingual language experience. Results demonstrated effects of Age of L2/2L1 onset on high beta and gamma powers. Higher usage of the non-societal language at home and society modulated indices of functional connectivity in theta, alpha and gamma frequencies. Results add to the emerging literature on the neuromodulatory effects of bilingualism for rs-EEG, and are in line with claims that bilingualism effects are modulated by degree of engagement with dual-language experiential factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maki Kubota
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
| | | | - Jason Rothman
- Department of Language and Culture, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway; Centro de Ciencia Cognitiva, Universidad Antonio De Nebrija, Spain.
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Kliesch M, Giroud N, Meyer M. EEG Resting-State and Event-Related Potentials as Markers of Learning Success in Older Adults Following Second Language Training: A Pilot Study. Brain Plast 2021; 7:143-162. [PMID: 34868879 PMCID: PMC8609485 DOI: 10.3233/bpl-200117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this pilot study, we evaluated the use of electrophysiological measures at rest as paradigm-independent predictors of second language (L2) development for the first time in older adult learners. We then assessed EEG correlates of the learning outcome in a language-switching paradigm after the training, which to date has only been done in younger adults and at intermediate to advanced L2 proficiency. METHODS Ten (Swiss) German-speaking adults between 65-74 years of age participated in an intensive 3-week English training for beginners. A resting-state EEG was recorded before the training to predict the ensuing L2 development (Experiment 1). A language-switching ERP experiment was conducted after the training to assess the learning outcome (Experiment 2). RESULTS All participants improved their L2 skills but differed noticeably in their individual development. Experiment 1 showed that beta1 oscillations at rest (13-14.5 Hz) predicted these individual differences. We interpret resting-state beta1 oscillations as correlates of attentional capacities and semantic working memory that facilitate the extraction and processing of novel forms and meanings from the L2 input.In Experiment 2, we found that language switching from the L2 into the native language (L1) elicited an N400 component, which was reduced in the more advanced learners. Thus, for learners beginning the acquisition of an L2 in third age, language switching appears to become less effortful with increasing proficiency, suggesting that the lexicons of the L1 and L2 become more closely linked. CONCLUSIONS In sum, our findings extend the available evidence of neurological processes in L2 learning from younger to older adults, suggesting that electrophysiological mechanisms are similar across the lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Kliesch
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Zurich Center for Linguistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Romance Linguistics, Institute of Romance Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Giroud
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Phonetics and Speech Sciences, Institute of Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich & ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martin Meyer
- Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Psychology Institute, Alpen-Adria University of Klagenfurt, Klagenfurt am Woerthersee, Austria
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich & ETHZ, Zurich, Switzerland
- University Research Priority Program “Dynamics of Healthy Aging”, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Meng X, Sun C, Du B, Liu L, Zhang Y, Dong Q, Georgiou GK, Nan Y. The development of brain rhythms at rest and its impact on vocabulary acquisition. Dev Sci 2021; 25:e13157. [PMID: 34258830 DOI: 10.1111/desc.13157] [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] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
A long-standing question in developmental science is how the neurodevelopment of the brain influences cognitive functions. Here, we examined the developmental change of resting EEG power and its links to vocabulary acquisition in school-age children. We further explored what mechanisms may mediate the relation between brain rhythm maturation and vocabulary knowledge. Eyes-opened resting-state EEG data were recorded from 53 typically-developing Chinese children every 2 years between the ages of 7 and 11. Our results showed first that delta, theta, and gamma power decreased over time, whereas alpha and beta power increased over time. Second, after controlling for general cognitive abilities, age, home literacy environment, and phonological skills, theta decreases explained 6.9% and 14.4% of unique variance in expressive vocabulary at ages 9 and 11, respectively. We also found that beta increase from age 7 to 9 significantly predicted receptive vocabulary at age 11. Finally, theta decrease predicted expressive vocabulary through the effects of phoneme deletion at age 9 and tone discrimination at age 11. These results substantiate the important role of brain oscillations at rest, especially theta rhythm, in language development. The developmental change of brain rhythms could serve as sensitive biomarkers for vocabulary development in school-age children, which would be of great value in identifying children at risk of language impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangyun Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Chen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Boqi Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - George K Georgiou
- Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Yun Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Reflections of idiographic long-term memory characteristics in resting-state neuroimaging data. Cognition 2021; 212:104660. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Neurophysiological Measurements in Higher Education: A Systematic Literature Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN EDUCATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s40593-021-00256-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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12
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Mottarella M, Yamasaki BL, Prat CS. Relating Individual Differences in Reading Skill to Neural Indices of Proactive Control and Online Filtering During a Working Memory Task. DISCOURSE PROCESSES 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/0163853x.2021.1926407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chantel S. Prat
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington
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Bice K, Yamasaki BL, Prat CS. Bilingual Language Experience Shapes Resting-State Brain Rhythms. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2020; 1:288-318. [PMID: 37215228 PMCID: PMC10158654 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
An increasing body of research has investigated how bilingual language experience changes brain structure and function, including changes to task-free, or "resting-state" brain connectivity. Such findings provide important evidence about how the brain continues to be shaped by different language experiences throughout the lifespan. The neural effects of bilingual language experience can provide evidence about the additional processing demands placed on the linguistic and/or executive systems by dual-language use. While considerable research has used MRI to examine where these changes occur, such methods cannot reveal the temporal dynamics of functioning brain networks at rest. The current study used data from task-free EEGS to disentangle how the linguistic and cognitive demands of bilingual language use impact brain functioning. Data analyzed from 106 bilinguals and 91 monolinguals revealed that bilinguals had greater alpha power, and significantly greater and broader coherence in the alpha and beta frequency ranges than monolinguals. Follow-up analyses showed that higher alpha was related to language control: more second-language use, higher native-language proficiency, and earlier age of second-language acquisition. Bilateral beta power was related to native-language proficiency, whereas theta was related to native-language proficiency only in left-hemisphere electrodes. The results contribute to our understanding of how the linguistic and cognitive requirements of dual-language use shape intrinsic brain activity, and what the broader implications for information processing may be.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brianna L. Yamasaki
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Washington
- Department of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University
| | - Chantel S. Prat
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences and Department of Psychology, University of Washington
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Prat CS, Madhyastha TM, Mottarella MJ, Kuo CH. Relating Natural Language Aptitude to Individual Differences in Learning Programming Languages. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3817. [PMID: 32123206 PMCID: PMC7051953 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60661-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This experiment employed an individual differences approach to test the hypothesis that learning modern programming languages resembles second "natural" language learning in adulthood. Behavioral and neural (resting-state EEG) indices of language aptitude were used along with numeracy and fluid cognitive measures (e.g., fluid reasoning, working memory, inhibitory control) as predictors. Rate of learning, programming accuracy, and post-test declarative knowledge were used as outcome measures in 36 individuals who participated in ten 45-minute Python training sessions. The resulting models explained 50-72% of the variance in learning outcomes, with language aptitude measures explaining significant variance in each outcome even when the other factors competed for variance. Across outcome variables, fluid reasoning and working-memory capacity explained 34% of the variance, followed by language aptitude (17%), resting-state EEG power in beta and low-gamma bands (10%), and numeracy (2%). These results provide a novel framework for understanding programming aptitude, suggesting that the importance of numeracy may be overestimated in modern programming education environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantel S Prat
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
- Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
- University of Washington Institute for Neuroengineering, Seattle, Washington, USA.
- Center for Neurotechnology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
| | - Tara M Madhyastha
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Chu-Hsuan Kuo
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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15
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Qi Z, Legault J. Neural hemispheric organization in successful adult language learning: Is left always right? PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.plm.2020.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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