Dynamic brain architectures in local brain activity and functional network efficiency associate with efficient...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Psycholinguistics

Background:

• The human brain functions as a dynamic network, with regional activity and connectivity supporting cognitive processes like reading.
• Understanding how brain networks facilitate native (L1) versus non-proficient second language (L2) reading, and the link between local activity and network dynamics, remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the functional brain network organization during L1 versus L2 reading.
• To explore the association between local brain activation and large-scale network connectivity dynamics in bilinguals.
• To determine if network efficiency relates to reading proficiency in L1 and L2.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to collect brain data.
• Combined activation-based analysis with multivariate graph theory to analyze network organization.
• Examined Chinese-English bilinguals reading narratives in both languages.

Main Results:

• Native language (L1) reading showed greater brain activation and a more globally efficient, less clustered network organization compared to L2 reading.
• L1 reading enhanced network efficiency and activation in the fronto-temporal reading network (RN).
• L2 reading was associated with decreased global network efficiency, increased clustering in the default mode network (DMN), and more deactivation.

Conclusions:

• An economical and integrative brain network topology is linked to efficient reading.
• A dynamic association exists between network efficiency and local brain activation in both the reading network and default mode network.
• Interregional connectivity is crucial for interpreting local brain signal changes in bilingual reading.