Can bilingualism increase neuroplasticity of language networks in epilepsy?

Stasenko, Alena; Schadler, Adam; Kaestner, Erik; Reyes, Anny; Díaz-Santos, Mirella; Połczyńska, Monika; McDonald, Carrie R.

doi:10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2022.106893

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Dysfunction of the left hemisphere may invoke increased compensatory processes in the bilingual brain, potentially drawing on resources from the contralateral hemisphere and/or in nonlanguage regions. We previously reported that language was more frequently reorganized to the right hemisphere in bilinguals with LTLE, 45 suggesting that neuroplasticity related to bilingualism is most pronounced when the left hemisphere is affected. Another possible contributor to the bilingualism effect in LTLE only could be related to B-RTLE having a worse epilepsy phenotype, evidenced by approximately a decade longer duration of epilepsy and higher proportion of MTS.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Bilingualism and Structural Network Organization in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

et al. 2023

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Background and Objectives:There is growing evidence that bilingualism can induce neuroplasticity and modulate neural efficiency, resulting in greater resistance to neurological disease. However, whether bilingualism is beneficial to neural health in the presence of epilepsy is unknown. We tested whether bilingual individuals with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) have improved whole-brain structural white matter network organization.Methods:Healthy controls and individuals with TLE recruited from two specialized epilepsy centers completed diffusion-weighted MRI and neuropsychological testing as part of an observational cohort study. Whole-brain connectomes were generated via diffusion tractography and analyzed using graph theory. Global analyses compared network integration (path length) and specialization (transitivity) in TLE versus controls and in a 2 (left vs right TLE) x 2 (bilingual vs monolingual) model. Local analyses compared mean local efficiency of predefined frontal-executive and language (i.e., perisylvian) subnetworks. Exploratory correlations examined associations between network organization and neuropsychological performance.Results:A total of 29 bilingual and 88 monolingual individuals with TLE matched on several demographic and clinical variables, as well as 81 age-matched healthy controls were included. Globally, a significant interaction between language status and side of seizure onset revealed higher network organization in bilinguals compared to monolinguals, but only in left TLE (LTLE). Locally, bilinguals with LTLE showed higher efficiency in frontal-executive, but not in perisylvian networks compared to LTLE monolinguals. Improved whole-brain network organization was associated with better executive function performance in bilingual but not monolingual LTLE.Discussion:Higher structural network organization in bilingual individuals with LTLE suggests a neuromodulatory effect of bilingualism on whole-brain connectivity in epilepsy, providing evidence for neural reserve. This may reflect attenuation of or compensation for epilepsy-related dysfunction of the left hemisphere, potentially driven by increased efficiency of frontal-executive networks that mediate dual-language control. This highlights a potential role of bilingualism as a protective factor in epilepsy, motivating further research across neurological disorders to define mechanisms and develop interventions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%