Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Language and Cognition

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Higher Mental Functions of the Brain: Language

Language is a system of communication that allows the expression of thoughts, ideas, and feelings. The brain processes language in both hemispheres.
Language formation and comprehension take place in the dominant hemisphere. The dominant hemisphere is responsible for understanding the meaning of spoken, written, or sign language, as well as the ability to communicate. For most people, the left hemisphere is the dominant one. The right hemisphere, then, gives tone and emotional context to the...

Lateralization

Lateralization

Brain lateralization refers to the division of mental processes and functions between the two hemispheres of the brain, a phenomenon that optimizes neural efficiency and underpins complex abilities in humans. This specialization allows each hemisphere to perform tasks where it has a comparative advantage, facilitating more refined cognitive capabilities across different domains.

Cerebral Hemispheres

Cerebral Hemispheres

The human brain, a complex organ, is functionally divided into two cerebral hemispheres—left and right. These hemispheres are interconnected by a structure of paramount importance, the corpus callosum. This substantial bundle of neural fibers is not just a bridge between the hemispheres but a crucial element for the brain's comprehensive functioning. It enables efficient communication between the two hemispheres, allowing each side of the brain to control and receive sensory and motor...

Gut-Brain Axis

Gut-Brain Axis

The gut–brain axis is a bidirectional communication system that connects the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. This interaction is mediated through multiple pathways, including the vagus nerve, hormonal signals, immune responses, and chemical messengers produced by gut microbes.Microbial Contributions to Brain FunctionGut microbiota contributes significantly to brain function by producing neuroactive compounds. These include neuroactive compounds that influence neurotransmitters such as...

Language Development

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Tuning in to Development: How Home Music Activities Relate to Language and Motor Skills in Toddlers From Monolingual and Multilingual Home Environments.

Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·2026

Same author

Larry Jacoby's research on aging and memory: Review and commentary.

Memory & cognition·2026

Same author

The Behavioural and Neurophysiological Effects of Set-for-Variability (SfV) Reading Intervention for Children With Sustained Word Reading Difficulties.

Dyslexia (Chichester, England)·2026

Same author

Biological sex and bilingualism: Its impact on risk and resilience for dementia.

Alzheimer's & dementia (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026

Same author

Cognitive reserve is associated with less cognitive decline from white matter hyperintensities.

Neurobiology of aging·2025

Same author

Natural Speech Analysis Can Reveal Individual Differences in Executive Function Across the Adult Lifespan.

Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 23, 2026

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Published on: February 26, 2020

Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain.

Ellen Bialystok¹, Fergus I M Craik, Gigi Luk

¹Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada. ellenb@yorku.ca

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

|April 3, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Bilingualism benefits cognitive development and may delay dementia onset in older adults by building cognitive reserve. This lifelong advantage is increasingly important in diverse aging populations.

More Related Videos

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Published on: August 12, 2019

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 23, 2026

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task

Published on: February 26, 2020

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Translational Brain Mapping at the University of Rochester Medical Center: Preserving the Mind Through Personalized Brain Mapping

Published on: August 12, 2019

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm

Published on: April 28, 2016

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychology
Cognitive Science

Background:

Bilingualism is known to benefit children's cognitive development.
The long-term effects of bilingualism on cognition require further investigation, particularly in aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

To review recent evidence on the effects of bilingualism on cognition in adulthood and older age.
To explore the mechanisms underlying bilingualism's impact on cognitive reserve and dementia onset.

Main Methods:

Review of recent behavioral and neuroimaging studies.
Analysis of cognitive reserve and dementia onset in bilingual individuals.

Main Results:

Bilingualism shows a muted effect in adulthood but a significant role in older age.
Bilingualism contributes to cognitive reserve, potentially delaying cognitive decline.
Evidence suggests bilingualism is associated with a delayed onset of dementia symptoms.

Conclusions:

Bilingualism offers a protective effect against cognitive decline in older age.
The concept of cognitive reserve is significantly enhanced by lifelong bilingualism.
Bilingualism's contribution to cognitive reserve is of growing importance for diverse aging populations.