Neurolinguistics: structural plasticity in the bilingual brain

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Linguistics

Background:

• Bilingualism is a complex human ability.
• Brain plasticity is believed to underlie second language acquisition.
• Previous research focused on functional rather than structural brain changes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the structural brain changes associated with learning a second language.
• To determine if second language acquisition leads to changes in grey matter density.
• To explore the relationship between structural brain reorganization, language proficiency, and age of acquisition.

Main Methods:

• Neuroimaging techniques were used to measure grey matter density.
• The left inferior parietal cortex was a key region of interest.
• Correlational analyses examined the link between grey matter density and language learning parameters.

Main Results:

• Learning a second language significantly increased grey matter density in the left inferior parietal cortex.
• The extent of grey matter increase correlated with attained language proficiency.
• Age of acquisition also modulated the degree of structural reorganization in this brain region.

Conclusions:

• Second language learning induces measurable structural changes in the brain.
• The left inferior parietal cortex is a critical area for second language acquisition.
• Grey matter density in this region reflects both proficiency and the timing of language learning, suggesting a general principle of brain organization.