Neuroplasticity, bilingualism, and mental mathematics: A behavior-MEG study

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psycholinguistics
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Bilingualism is known to influence cognitive functions and brain structure.
• Previous research indicates bilinguals may exhibit reduced accuracy in mathematical tasks when using their second language (L2) compared to their first language (L1).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of mental addition in bilingual adults using MEG brain imaging.
• To compare brain activity and behavioral performance during arithmetic tasks presented in a bilingual's L1 versus L2.

Main Methods:

• Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was employed to record brain activity during mental addition.
• Bilingual adults performed two-digit addition tasks with numbers presented auditorally in both their L1 and L2.
• Simultaneous collection of behavioral accuracy data and brain imaging data.

Main Results:

• Behaviorally, participants demonstrated significantly lower accuracy for two-digit addition in their L2 compared to their L1.
• MEG data revealed a stronger neural response magnitude in the L2 condition versus the L1 condition, particularly before the calculation phase.
• A significant correlation was observed between brain activity patterns and behavioral performance across both language conditions.

Conclusions:

• Language differences in bilinguals impact mathematical processing, with effects emerging even before the calculation itself.
• The findings highlight the intricate relationship between language and mathematical cognition, suggesting language influences underlying neural mechanisms of calculation.
• This study provides novel insights into how bilingualism shapes cognitive functions beyond language, specifically in the domain of numerical cognition.