Psychology

Enhanced efficiency in the bilingual brain through the inter-hemispheric cortico-cerebellar pathway in early second language acquisition

Z. Gracia-tabuenca, E. B. Barbeau, et al.

Discover how bilingualism influences brain functionality! Research conducted by Zeus Gracia-Tabuenca and colleagues reveals that bilinguals demonstrate enhanced brain efficiency and stronger connectivity within key brain networks. Dive into the findings to understand the powerful effects of early second language acquisition on brain organization.

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of bilingualism on brain functional organization using resting-state functional magnetic brain imaging in 151 participants (monolinguals and bilinguals with varying second language acquisition ages). Whole-brain network analyses revealed higher global efficiency in bilinguals, suggesting enhanced functional integration. Early second language acquisition correlated with increased efficiency, indicating lasting positive effects. Network-based statistics revealed that this enhancement is primarily driven by increased functional connectivity between association networks and the cerebellum, highlighting the role of the cortico-cerebellar pathway in bilingual brain organization.

Publisher

Communications Biology

Published On

Jul 23, 2024

Authors

Zeus Gracia-Tabuenca, Elise B. Barbeau, Shanna Kousaie, Jen-Kai Chen, Xiaoqian Chai, Denise Klein

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