Multilingualism and Brain Plasticity

Pliatsikas, Christos

doi:10.1002/9781119387725.ch11

Cited by 29 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 87 publications

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“…The past decade has seen a boom in evidence that learning and using additional languages causes structural adaptations in the brain. These adaptations have been expressed as volumetric and/or shape changes in cortical and subcortical regions underlying language learning and control, as well as adaptations in the diffusivity of white matter tracts connecting these regions (for a detailed review see Pliatsikas, ). The available evidence has come from a variety of bilingual populations, including children, younger and older healthy adults, and patients, with distinct profiles of language backgrounds and use, including simultaneous and sequential bilinguals, individuals immersed in a bilingual environment, and simultaneous interpreters.…”

Section: Bilingualism and Neuroplasticity Where Are We?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Many Shades of Bilingualism: Language Experiences Modulate Adaptations in Brain Structure

2019

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Recent years have seen an expansion in the research related to structural brain adaptations related to the acquisition and processing of additional languages. However, the accumulating evidence remains to a great extent inconsistent, with a large variety of cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar effects reported in various studies. Here we propose that the variability in the data can be explained by the differences in the language background and experiences of the tested samples. We also propose that the field should move away from monolithic bilingual versus monolingual comparisons; instead, it should focus on the experiences of the bilingual groups as predictors of structural changes in the brain, and also employ longitudinal designs to test the dynamic effects of active bilingualism. The implications of the proposed approaches for the suggested benefits of bilingualism on ageing and patient populations are also discussed.

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Section: Bilingualism and Neuroplasticity Where Are We?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Many Shades of Bilingualism: Language Experiences Modulate Adaptations in Brain Structure

2019

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“…Instead, experienced bilinguals (again, especially those with substantial immersion/in bilingual environments) seem to show white matter differences, as compared to monolinguals, in particular increases in white matter integrity (generally reported as increases in fractional anisotropy [FA] and/or decreases in mean diffusivity [MD]; see below for definitions) (Pliatsikas et al 2015 ; Rahmani et al 2017 ). Experienced bilingual young adults, by contrast, generally do not show differences in cortical thickness or volume as compared to monolinguals (Pliatsikas 2019 ). Somewhat different patterns have been observed in older (and typically longer term) bilingual adults, who generally show (in comparison to age-matched monolinguals) greater grey matter volumes in similar cortical as well as subcortical regions, in addition to greater white matter integrity, again mainly in the same tracts that are found to change in younger adult bilinguals (Luk et al 2011 ; Abutalebi et al 2014a , b ; Olsen et al 2015 ; Anderson et al 2018 ; Borsa et al 2018 ; Del Maschio et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Recent years have seen an emerging interest in the effects that learning and using more than one language have on brain structure (Luk et al 2020 ). An increasing number of studies suggest that, as compared to monolinguals, bilingual (or multilingual) adults show structural alterations in cortical regions and subcortical grey matter structures, as well as in white matter tracts that connect these regions (for recent reviews, see Hayakawa and Marian 2019 ; Pliatsikas 2019 ). These findings suggest that bilingualism/multilingualism (referred from here onwards as bilingualism) is on par with other types of longer term experience that lead to significant structural brain changes during the acquisition and maintenance of a new skill, such as juggling, the use of novel tools, and navigation (Maguire et al 2000 ; Draganski et al 2004 ; Quallo et al 2009 ; Taubert et al 2010 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Indeed, the reported structural effects of bilingualism in adults (measured as differences between bilingual and monolingual groups, or sometimes in training studies) are most commonly reported in grey matter regions that have been found to underlie such language-related (as well as other) processes (for details, see Pliatsikas 2019 ). These regions primary include: frontal and nearby cortex, including the three portions of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), namely, opercularis (IFGop), triangularis (IFGtr), and orbitalis (IFGor), as well as the frontal pole, the middle and superior frontal gyri (MFG and SFG), and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); temporal cortex, including the superior, middle, and inferior temporal gyri (STG, MTG and ITG), Heschl’s gyrus, the temporal pole, and the hippocampus; and parietal cortex, including the supramarginal gyrus, the angular gyrus, and the superior parietal lobule (Mechelli et al 2004 ; Mårtensson et al 2012 ; Abutalebi et al 2014a ; Klein et al 2014 ; Stein et al 2014 ; Kaiser et al 2015 ; Olulade et al 2016 ; Hämäläinen et al 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…What may explain these patterns? A detailed review of the neuroplastic effects of bilingualism (see Pliatsikas 2019 ) is beyond the scope of this paper. However, the available models that attempt to explain such effects and their underlying mechanisms have certain common denominators, in addition to the claim that any changes result from the bilingual experience (Li et al 2014 ; Hernandez et al 2015 , 2018 ; Abutalebi and Green 2016 ; Grundy et al 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effect of bilingualism on brain development from early childhood to young adulthood

et al. 2020

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Bilingualism affects the structure of the brain in adults, as evidenced by experience-dependent grey and white matter changes in brain structures implicated in language learning, processing, and control. However, limited evidence exists on how bilingualism may influence brain development. We examined the developmental patterns of both grey and white matter structures in a cross-sectional study of a large sample (n = 711 for grey matter, n = 637 for white matter) of bilingual and monolingual participants, aged 3-21 years. Metrics of grey matter (thickness, volume, and surface area) and white matter (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity) were examined across 41 cortical and subcortical brain structures and 20 tracts, respectively. We used generalized additive modelling to analyze whether, how, and where the developmental trajectories of bilinguals and monolinguals might differ. Bilingual and monolingual participants manifested distinct developmental trajectories in both grey and white matter structures. As compared to monolinguals, bilinguals showed: (a) more grey matter (less developmental loss) starting during late childhood and adolescence, mainly in frontal and parietal regions (particularly in the inferior frontal gyrus pars opercularis, superior frontal cortex, inferior and superior parietal cortex, and precuneus); and (b) higher white matter integrity (greater developmental increase) starting during mid-late adolescence, specifically in striatal-inferior frontal fibers. The data suggest that there may be a developmental basis to the well-documented structural differences in the brain between bilingual and monolingual adults.

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Young Learners and Language Teaching

Butler

2024

The Encyclopedia of Applied Linguistics

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An ever‐increasing number of young learners (YLs, defined as children ages 4–12) are learning additional language(s) (ALs) other than their home language(s) in instructional settings. Efforts to provide high‐quality AL instruction to these learners are complicated by their highly diverse backgrounds, learning environments, and instructional goals and needs. Importantly, YLs are in the midst of cognitive, social, and affective development at the same time as they develop their first language. There is also substantial variability in the manner and speed of such development even among children of any given chronological age. The wealth of research on instructed second language acquisition for adult learners can inform efforts to teach ALs to YLs, but educators must pay special attention to age‐related factors and individual differences. After describing unique age‐related characteristics and diverse needs associated with YLs' AL learning, this entry discusses how such characteristics should be factored in when teachers develop/select tasks and materials, implement instructional strategies, and conduct/interpret assessments directly assisting YLs' learning. The entry also addresses the role of digital technology in YLs' AL learning. Finally, it discusses the relationship between the onset of learning and AL development in instructional settings. Contrary to the common belief that “the earlier the start, the better outcome” in AL learning, empirical research suggests that older starters have advantages in learning efficiency; it is not the age of onset of learning but the amount and quality of instruction that seem to have greater influences on AL learning in instructional settings.

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Multilingualism and Brain Plasticity

Cited by 29 publications

References 87 publications

The Many Shades of Bilingualism: Language Experiences Modulate Adaptations in Brain Structure

The Many Shades of Bilingualism: Language Experiences Modulate Adaptations in Brain Structure

The effect of bilingualism on brain development from early childhood to young adulthood

Young Learners and Language Teaching

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