Distinct neural correlates for two types of inhibition in bilinguals: Response inhibition versus interference suppression
Abstract
To examine the effects of bilingualism on cognitive control, we studied monolingual and bilingual young adults performing a flanker task with functional MRI. The trial types of primary interest for this report were incongruent and no-go trials, representing interference suppression and response inhibition, respectively. Response times were similar between groups. Brain data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) to identify brain regions where activity covaried across conditions. Monolinguals and bilinguals activated different sets of brain regions for congruent and incongruent trials, but showed activation in the same regions for no-go trials. During the incongruent trials, monolinguals activated the left temporal pole and left superior parietal regions. In contrast, an extensive network including bilateral frontal, temporal and subcortical regions was active in bilinguals during the incongruent trials and in both groups for the no-go trials. Correlations between brain activity and reaction time difference relative to neutral trials revealed that monolinguals and bilinguals showed increased activation in different brain regions to achieve less interference from incongruent flankers. Results indicate that bilingualism selectively affects neural correlates for suppressing interference, but not response inhibition. Moreover, the neural correlates associated with more efficient suppression of interference were different in bilinguals than in monolinguals, suggesting a bilingual-specific network for cognitive control.
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Bilingualism changes functional neural networks at the response-selection stage, not at the motor-execution stage.
“bilingualism alters functional neural network at the response-selection level (congruent and incongruent trials), but not at the motor execution level (response inhibition no-go trials)”
From Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain (2012) · cites this paper as [103]
More activity in the bilingual network, including regions from the meta-analysis, was linked to smaller reaction-time costs on incongruent trials.
“greater activity in the bilingual network, including areas identified in the meta-analysis [95], was related to smaller RT costs for incongruent trials.”
From Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain (2012) · cites this paper as [103]
Luk et al. found that monolinguals and bilinguals engaged different neural networks for congruent and incongruent trials, but no group difference appeared for no-go trials.
“The results showed that monolinguals and bilinguals recruited different neural networks for both congruent and incongruent trials. Another condition that tested ‘no-go’ responses indicated no difference between groups.”
From Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain (2012) · cites this paper as [103]
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- Authors
- Luk, G., Anderson, J. A. E., Craik, F. I. M., Grady, C., & Bialystok, E.
- Affiliations
- Baycrest Hospital (CA)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- York University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Luk, Gigi
- Venue
- Brain and Cognition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-12
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 347-357
- ISSN
- 0278-2626 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1973623884
- Cited by
- 256
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 18 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 7.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain and Cognition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP14036, MOP57842)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Keywords
- bilingualism, cognitive control, response inhibition, interference suppression, flanker task, incongruent trials, neural correlates, reaction time, superior parietal cortex
- MeSH terms
- Brain, Cognition, Female, Frontal Lobe, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Functional Laterality, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Parietal Lobe, Reaction Time, Speech Perception, Temporal Lobe, Multilingualism, Comprehension, Young Adult
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