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Are executive function and neuroanatomy in ADHD modulated by bilingualism?
Anushka Oak1,2, Iria S Gutierrez-Schieferl1,2, Guinevere F Eden1,2
1Center for the Study of Learning, Department of Pediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, 20057, USA.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|May 25, 2026
Summary
Bilingualism does not alter the executive function (EF) or brain structure differences seen in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While bilingualism impacts neuroanatomy, it does not change how ADHD affects the brain.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Psychology
Background:
- Bilingualism is associated with enhanced executive function (EF) and distinct brain structures, particularly in regions supporting EF.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by impaired EF and associated neuroanatomical differences.
- The potential interactive effects of bilingualism and ADHD on EF and brain structure warrant investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether bilingual experience differentially affects EF performance and brain structure in individuals with and without ADHD.
- To explore if bilingualism mitigates or exacerbates EF and neuroanatomical differences associated with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study.
- Compared early Spanish-English bilinguals and English-speaking monolinguals, with and without ADHD.
- Employed ANOVAs to analyze performance on Flanker, Working Memory, and Card Sort Tasks, as well as gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness.
Main Results:
- No significant interaction effects were found between language experience (bilingual vs. monolingual) and ADHD diagnosis on EF task performance.
- Significant main effects of language experience and diagnostic group were observed for GMV and cortical thickness, but not in interaction.
- GMV in the left thalamus was influenced by both ADHD and bilingualism independently, with no interaction effect observed.
Conclusions:
- Bilingualism exerts an influence on EF performance and significantly impacts neuroanatomy.
- The neuroanatomical and performance differences associated with ADHD are not disproportionately affected by bilingual experience.
- The brain basis of ADHD appears independent of dual-language experience.
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