Language proficiency modulates the engagement of cognitive control areas in multilinguals

Abutalebi, Jubin; Rosa, Pasquale Anthony Della; Ding, Guiguang; Weekes, Brendan S.; Costa, Albert; Green, David W.

doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2012.08.018

Cited by 199 publications

(156 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…This ability is critical in the selection of the less proficient language since it necessitate inhibiting the more proficient language. Supporting this hypothesis and our data for segregated networks for high versus low conflict strength, the selection of the less proficient language has been associated with an increase of left caudate nucleus responses (Abutalebi et al 2013). Further analyses of the brain activity during low and high proficiency language selection could help determining whether segregated networks also support interlanguage inhibition.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

“…Cognitive inhibitory control has for example been proposed as a key mechanism of language control in bilinguals (Green 1998), for speech planning (Costa et al 2000) or for lexical selection (Kroll et al 2010). Compelling evidence suggest that cognitive control relies on the ACC and the caudate nucleus, and is modulated by language proficiency Abutalebi et al 2013). This ability is critical in the selection of the less proficient language since it necessitate inhibiting the more proficient language.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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High and Low Stimulus-Driven Conflict Engage Segregated Brain Networks, Not Quantitatively Different Resources

et al. 2013

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Task-irrelevant information is constantly present in our environment and may interfere with the processing of the information necessary to achieve goaldirected behavior. While task goals determine which information must be suppressed, the demand for inhibitory control depends on the strength of the interference induced by incoming, task-irrelevant information. Whether the same or distinct inhibitory processes are engaged to suppress various degrees of interference from task-irrelevant information remains largely unresolved. We investigated this question by manipulating the strength of the conflict induced by automatic word reading in a classical color Stroop task. High conflict was induced by presenting words in participant's native language and low conflict by presenting words in a less familiar language. Behavioral performance and electrical neuroimaging analyses of eventrelated potentials to the words were analyzed following a two-by-two within-subject design with factors conflict strength (high; low) and color word/word ink congruency (congruent; incongruent). Behaviorally, we observed a significant conflict strength 9 congruency driven by a smaller Stroop effect in the low-than high conflict condition. Electrophysiologically, we observed a significant conflict strength 9 congruency interaction at the topographic level during the period of the N450 components, indicative of the engagement of distinct configurations of brain networks. No such interaction was found at the level of response strength. Electrical sources analyses localized the topographic effect within the anterior cingulate cortex and basal ganglia, left middle frontal and occipital areas. We interpret our results in terms of qualitatively distinct executive mechanisms for reactive inhibitory control in conditions of high versus low stimulus-driven conflict.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High and Low Stimulus-Driven Conflict Engage Segregated Brain Networks, Not Quantitatively Different Resources

et al. 2013

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“…Subsequent studies replicated their results and confirmed that bilinguals had greater GM density than monolinguals in the temporoparietal cortex, such as inferior parietal lobule (IPL) and the posterior supramarginal gyrus (SMG) [58,61]. In addition, Abutalebi's team found young bilinguals had GM advantage over monolinguals in ACC through Flanker task [62], and in left putamen through a picture naming task [63]. Interestingly, Zou et al found that advanced language learners (Chinese sign language) had much greater GMV in the left caudate nucleus than monolinguals, which is so far the first attempt to illustrate the effect of different modal language learning [64].…”

Section: L2 Learning and Neuroplasticitysupporting

confidence: 60%

The Impact of L2 Learning on Cognitive Aging

Cheng

Deng

et al. 2015

ADMET DMPK

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It has become a multidisciplinary research area to overcome cognitive decline caused by aging. Many factors can affect cognitive aging and the influence of second language learning (L2 learning) cannot be ignored. The recent decade has witnessed much pathological, behavior and neuroimaging research that L2 experience may help maintain the cognitive function in the elderly, resist cognitive decline, and even delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This work is to review available literature concerned and elucidate the neural mechanisms under which L2 learning (training) may modify or sculpt the brain from perspectives

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“…Functional neuroimaging studies with unimpaired multilingual speakers have corroborated such findings [15–17] showing that language switching relies on a prefrontal-caudate ACC (anterior cingulate cortex) circuit. However, other findings from neuroimaging studies also suggest that the neural network involved in language control is not specific to bi-/multilingualism but is part of a domain-general executive control system [18, 19]. We report evidence that impaired language control and executive functions are associated with lesions to a partially overlapping cognitive and neural system in a multilingual speaker, Dr. T. This is the first case report of pathological switching [6] that is specifically associated with executive control impairments following damage to the executive control system in the frontal cortex.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Executive and Language Control in the Multilingual Brain

Kong

Abutalebi

Lam

et al. 2014

Behavioural Neurology

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Neuroimaging studies suggest that the neural network involved in language control may not be specific to bi-/multilingualism but is part of a domain-general executive control system. We report a trilingual case of a Cantonese (L1), English (L2), and Mandarin (L3) speaker, Dr. T, who sustained a brain injury at the age of 77 causing lesions in the left frontal lobe and in the left temporo-parietal areas resulting in fluent aphasia. Dr. T's executive functions were impaired according to a modified version of the Stroop color-word test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test performance was characterized by frequent perseveration errors. Dr. T demonstrated pathological language switching and mixing across her three languages. Code switching in Cantonese was more prominent in discourse production than confrontation naming. Our case suggests that voluntary control of spoken word production in trilingual speakers shares neural substrata in the frontobasal ganglia system with domain-general executive control mechanisms. One prediction is that lesions to such a system would give rise to both pathological switching and impairments of executive functions in trilingual speakers.

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Language proficiency modulates the engagement of cognitive control areas in multilinguals

Cited by 199 publications

References 13 publications

High and Low Stimulus-Driven Conflict Engage Segregated Brain Networks, Not Quantitatively Different Resources

High and Low Stimulus-Driven Conflict Engage Segregated Brain Networks, Not Quantitatively Different Resources

The Impact of L2 Learning on Cognitive Aging

Executive and Language Control in the Multilingual Brain

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