Bilingual Brain, Kosz z czasopismami

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SEPTEMBER 2008
brain
as scienTisTs unlock
The Bilingual Brain
more of The neurological
Parlez vous francais? Sprechen
secreTs of The Bilingual
Sie Deutsches? Hablas español?
If
Brain, They’re learning
so, and you also speak English
ThaT speaking more
(or any other language), your
Than one language may
brain may have developed
have cogniTive BenefiTs

Brain scans of Bilingual individuals found greater gray-matter density
(yellow) in the inferior parietal cortex, an area in the Brain’s language-
dominant left hemisphere. the density was most pronounced in people who
were very proficient in a second language and in those who learned a sec-
ond language Before the age of five.
ThaT exTend from
some distinct advantages over
childhood inTo old age.
your monolingual peers. New
research into the neurobiology
of bilingualism has found that
to the U.S. Census Bureau,
school. Bilingual preschoolers
being fluent in two languages,
about 18 percent of Americans
have been found to be better
particularly from early child-
speak a language other than
able than their monolingual
hood, not only enhances a
English at home. Of those,
peers at focusing on a task
person’s ability to concentrate,
three-quarters also report that
while tuning out distractions.
but might also protect against
they speak English “well” or
A similar enhanced abil-
the onset of dementia and other
“very well”—a strong indica-
ity to concentrate—a sign of
age-related cognitive decline.
tion that they are bilingual.
a well-functioning working
These discoveries are leading to:
Until fairly recently, parents
memory—has been found in
∫
A better understanding of
and educators feared that ex-
bilingual adults, particularly
how the brain organizes speech
posing children to a second lan-
those who became fluent in two
and communication tasks.
guage at too early an age might
languages at an early age. It may
∫
Greater insight into how
not only delay their language
be that managing two languages
specific types of brain activ-
skills but harm their intellectual
helps the brain sharpen—and
ity may prevent or delay
growth. New research, however,
retain—its ability to focus while
dementia and other age-
has found that bilingual chil-
ignoring irrelevant information.
related cognitive problems.
dren reach language milestones
Other research suggests
∫
More targeted and effec-
(such as first word and first
that bilingualism may delay
tive therapies for helping
fifty words) at the same age
the onset of age-related de-
bilingual individuals re-
as monolingual children. Nor
mentia, including Alzheimer’s
cover their communication
do they show any evidence of
disease, by up to four years.
skills after a brain injury.
being “language confused.”
Although scientists don’t
Bilingualism is common in
In fact, being bilingual may
know why bilingualism cre-
the United States. According
give children an advantage at
ates this “cognitive reserve,”
Briefings
 eve marder, phd
President
Brandeis University
some theorize that speaking
gests that being bilingual
monolingual speakers, par-
two languages may increase
from an early age significantly
ticularly in a frontal area called
blood and oxygen flow to the
alters the brain’s structure.
the dorso-lateral prefrontal
Thomas J. carew, phd
brain and keep nerve connec-
Exactly how the brain or-
cortex (the source of the bilin-
President-Elect
University of California, Irvine
tions healthy—factors thought
ganizes language in bilingual
gual advantages in attention
to help ward off dementia.
individuals has been debated
and control). This expanded
More recently, scientists
for many years. Is each language
neural activity is so prominent
david van essen, phd
have discovered that bilingual
“stored” in its own area of the
and predictable on brain scans
Past President
Washington University
School of Medicine
adults have denser gray matter
brain or in overlapping regions?
that it serves as a “neurological
(brain tissue packed with infor-
Thanks to technological ad-
signature” for bilingualism.
mation-processing nerve cells
vances in brain imaging, scien-
Finally, neuroscience research
for more informaTion
and fibers), especially in the
tists have recently discovered
is showing promise for evalu-
Please contact the public
information department
at publicinfo@sfn.org or
(202) 962-4000
brain’s left hemisphere, where
that the processing of different
ating and treating bilingual
most language and communica-
languages occurs in much of
patients who lose the ability to
tion skills are controlled. The
the same brain tissue. However,
produce or understand speech
effect is strongest in people
when bilinguals are rapidly tog-
after a brain injury. Research
pasT issues
www.sfn.org/briefings
who learned a second lan-
gling back and forth between
is showing that rehabilitation
guage before the age of five
their two languages—that is, in
efforts that use both languages,
and in those who are most
“bilingual mode”—they show
not just one—even a patient’s
proficient at their second
significantly more activity in
native language—hold the
copyRight © 2008 society foR neuRoscience
language. This finding sug-
the right hemisphere than
greatest promise for recovery.
nonprofiT org.
us posTage paid
permiT no. 161
harrisonBurg, va
The Bilingual Brain
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