Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The bilingual structural connectome
T2 - Dual-language experiential factors modulate distinct cerebral networks
AU - Fedeli, Davide
AU - Del Maschio, Nicola
AU - Sulpizio, Simone
AU - Rothman, Jason
AU - Abutalebi, Jubin
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021
PY - 2021/9/30
Y1 - 2021/9/30
N2 - Bilingualism is a natural laboratory for studying whether the brain's structural connectome is influenced by different aspects of language experience. However, evidence on how distinct components of bilingual experience may contribute to structural brain adaptations is mixed. The lack of consistency, however, may depend, at least in part, on methodological choices in data acquisition and processing. Herein, we adopted the Network Neuroscience framework to investigate how individual differences in second language (L2) exposure, proficiency, and age of acquisition (AoA) – measured as continuous between-subject variables – relate to whole-brain structural organization. We observed that L2 exposure modulated the connectivity of two networks of regions subserving language comprehension and production. L2 proficiency was associated with enhanced connectivity within a rostro-caudal network, which supports language selection and word learning. Moreover, L2 AoA and exposure affected inter-hemispheric communication between control-related regions. These findings expand mechanistic knowledge about particular environmental factors associated with specific variation in brain structure.
AB - Bilingualism is a natural laboratory for studying whether the brain's structural connectome is influenced by different aspects of language experience. However, evidence on how distinct components of bilingual experience may contribute to structural brain adaptations is mixed. The lack of consistency, however, may depend, at least in part, on methodological choices in data acquisition and processing. Herein, we adopted the Network Neuroscience framework to investigate how individual differences in second language (L2) exposure, proficiency, and age of acquisition (AoA) – measured as continuous between-subject variables – relate to whole-brain structural organization. We observed that L2 exposure modulated the connectivity of two networks of regions subserving language comprehension and production. L2 proficiency was associated with enhanced connectivity within a rostro-caudal network, which supports language selection and word learning. Moreover, L2 AoA and exposure affected inter-hemispheric communication between control-related regions. These findings expand mechanistic knowledge about particular environmental factors associated with specific variation in brain structure.
KW - Bilingualism
KW - Connectome
KW - DTI
KW - Individual differences
KW - Second Language
KW - Structural Connectivity
KW - Tractography
KW - White Matter
U2 - 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.104978
DO - 10.1016/j.bandl.2021.104978
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 34171596
AN - SCOPUS:85108364898
VL - 220
JO - Brain and Language
JF - Brain and Language
SN - 0093-934X
M1 - 104978
ER -