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.

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