Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
05:31
Examining Bilingual Language Control Using the Stroop Task
Published on: February 26, 2020
Bilingualism predicts executive function resilience after COVID-19 in aging
John G Grundy1, Melanie Pujols-Beltran2,3
1Experience-Related Neuroplasticity Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Summary
Bilingualism enhances executive functions like attentional control. Greater bilingual experience may protect older adults against COVID-19 related cognitive decline, particularly in task-switching performance.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psycholinguistics
- Gerontology
Background:
- Bilingualism is linked to improved executive functions (EFs), including attentional control.
- Bilingualism may offer a protective effect against age-related cognitive decline.
- The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted cognitive function in older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the latent structure of bilingualism and EFs across the adult lifespan.
- To determine if bilingualism provides resilience against post-COVID-19 cognitive decline in older adults.
- To explore the role of bilingualism in bolstering cognitive reserve against pandemic-related effects.
Main Methods:
- Collected data from 312 adults aged 18-80.
- Employed partial least squares correlation (PLSC) analysis.
- Assessed multiple bilingual experience measures and a battery of EF tasks.
Main Results:
- Greater bilingual experience (earlier L2 acquisition, higher proficiency) associated with enhanced EFs.
- Task-switching performance showed the most consistent behavioral association with bilingualism.
- Earlier L2 age of acquisition robustly predicted better nonverbal task-switching in older adults with COVID-19 history.
Conclusions:
- Bilingual experience contributes to resilience in attentional control and task-switching for older adults.
- Bilingualism may mitigate negative cognitive impacts of COVID-19 on executive functions.
- Findings highlight bilingualism's role in cognitive reserve, particularly for older adults facing health challenges.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Language 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.
01:30Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Cognitive development continues throughout adulthood, undergoing significant shifts across early, middle, and late stages. Individual transition occurs from adolescent idealism to pragmatic and adaptable thinking in early adulthood. During this period, individuals learn to integrate personal beliefs with the recognition that other perspectives are equally valid. Exposure to the complexities of modern society, diverse experiences, and higher education contribute to this adaptive thought process,...
01:10Higher 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...
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...
01:28Lateralization
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.
01:24Working Memory
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...