Cognitive and brain reserve in bilinguals: field overview and explanatory mechanisms

Gallo, Federico; Myachykov, Andriy; Shtyrov, Yury; Abutalebi, Jubin

doi:10.1007/s41809-020-00058-1

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 134 publications

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“…One might also speculate that the phenomenon reported here might constitute the source of the enhanced cognitive reserve observed in senior bilinguals (see Gallo et al, 2020). Our findings indicate that experienced bilinguals show optimal task performance in the face of GMV variations, with no effect of decreasing volumes on performance levels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…The DRM explains the trajectory of bilingualism-induced neuroplasticity as pruning: bilinguals would develop extra connections to accommodate the increased language control effort, to subsequently eliminate the supernumerary connections once the more efficient ones are identified. This process would also account for the resilience to age-related neurodegeneration observed in aging bilinguals (see Gallo, Myachykov, Shtyrov & Abutalebi, 2020): the efficient connections surviving this pruning phase would also be the ones that survive age-related deterioration.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Individual differences in bilingual experience modulate executive control network and performance: behavioral and structural neuroimaging evidence

et al. 2020

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Dual/multiple language use has been shown to affect cognition and its neural substrate, although the replicability of such findings varies, partially due to neglecting the role of interindividual variability in bilingual experience. To address this, we operationalized the main bilingual experience factors as continuous variables, investigating their effects on executive control performance and neural substrate deploying a Flanker task and structural magnetic resonance imaging. First, higher L2 proficiency predicted better executive performance. Second, neuroimaging results indicated that bilingualism-related neuroplasticity may peak at a certain stage of bilingual experience and eventually revert, possibly following functional specialization. Importantly, experienced bilinguals optimized behavioral performance independently of volumetric variations, suggesting a degree of performance gain even with lower GMV. Hence, the effects of bilingualism on cognition may evolve with experience, with improvements in functional efficiency eventually replacing structural changes. We conclude that individual differences in bilingual experience modulate cognitive and neural consequences of bilingualism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual differences in bilingual experience modulate executive control network and performance: behavioral and structural neuroimaging evidence

et al. 2020

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“…In other words, CR is the individual ability to compensate for agerelated neural deterioration and maintain optimal cognitive functioning. Many lifestyle factors have been suggested to promote successful aging by means of CR development (for a review see Cheng, 2016), and bilingualism has been implicated as one such factor (for a review see Gallo et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Add Bilingualism to the Mix: L2 Proficiency Modulates the Effect of Cognitive Reserve Proxies on Executive Performance in Healthy Aging

2022

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We investigated the contribution of bilingual experience to the development of cognitive reserve (CR) when compared with other, traditionally more researched, CR proxies, in a sample of cognitively healthy senior (60 +) bilingual speakers. Participants performed in an online study where, in addition to a wide inventory of factors known to promote CR, we assessed several factors related to their second language (L2) use. In addition, participants’ inhibitory executive control was measured via the Flanker Task. We used Structural Equation Modeling to derive a latent composite measure of CR informed by traditional CR proxies (i.e., occupational complexity, marital status, current and retrospective socio-economic status, physical exercise, perceived positive support, maximal educational attainment, frequency of leisure activities and extent of social network). We examined whether bilingualism may act as a mediator of the effects of such proxies on cognitive performance therefore assessing the unique contribution of dual language use to CR. First, our analyses revealed facilitatory effects of both L2 age of acquisition and L2 proficiency on the executive performance. Second, our analyses confirmed the moderating role of bilingual experience on the relationship between other factors known to promote CR and cognitive integrity, revealing a strong contribution by bilingualism to CR development. Our findings provide further support to the notion that bilingualism plays an important role in mitigating cognitive decline and promoting successful aging.

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“…Furthermore, existing research has reported the beneficial effects of bilingualism beyond the language system-by showing positive bilingual effects on the general cognitive abilities, including memory (Soliman 2014;Hernández et al 2012), attention (see Bialystok 2015, for review), and executive function (Abutalebi et al 2013;Antoniou et al 2016;Morales et al 2015)-to the general cognitive systems involved in parallel monitoring, inhibition, and control of linguistic processing in two or more languages. Importantly, this general effect is accompanied by neuroanatomical structural changes such that higher L2 proficiency levels are associated with more efficient functional connectivity in the brain areas supporting executive control (Sulpizio et al 2020;Gallo et al 2020Gallo et al , 2021. Although still controversial and presently a subject of fierce debate (see for instance Paap and Greenberg 2013), these facilitatory "bilingual effects" are an example of how an increase in L2 proficiency may affect both linguistic and general cognitive abilities.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding Language Attrition through Orthography

et al. 2021

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The decay in the proficiency of the native language (L1), known as first language attrition, is one of the least understood phenomena associated with the acquisition of a second language (L2). Indeed, the exact cause for the deterioration in L1 performance, be that either the interference from L2 acquisition or the less frequent use of L1, still remains elusive. In this opinion paper, we focus on one largely understudied aspect of L1 attrition—namely, the erosion of the L1 orthographic knowledge under the influence of L2 orthography. In particular, we propose to study differences in orthographic processing between mono- and bilingual populations as an approach, which, in turn, will allow to address both cognitive and neurophysiological mechanisms underlying L1 attrition. We discuss relevant experimental paradigms, variable manipulations and appropriate research methods that may help disentangle the largely debated question of L2 interference vs. L1 disuse, clarifying the nature of the L1 orthographic attrition.

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Cognitive and brain reserve in bilinguals: field overview and explanatory mechanisms

Cited by 17 publications

References 134 publications

Individual differences in bilingual experience modulate executive control network and performance: behavioral and structural neuroimaging evidence

Individual differences in bilingual experience modulate executive control network and performance: behavioral and structural neuroimaging evidence

Add Bilingualism to the Mix: L2 Proficiency Modulates the Effect of Cognitive Reserve Proxies on Executive Performance in Healthy Aging

Understanding Language Attrition through Orthography

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