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Neuroplasticity as a function of second language learning: Anatomical changes in the human brain

Li, Ping, Legault, Jennifer, Litcofsky, Kaitlyn A.·2014·Cortex
DOI 10.1016/j.cortex.2014.05.001
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Abstract

The brain has an extraordinary ability to functionally and physically change or reconfigure its structure in response to environmental stimulus, cognitive demand, or behavioral experience. This property, known as neuroplasticity, has been examined extensively in many domains. But how does neuroplasticity occur in the brain as a function of an individual's experience with a second language? It is not until recently that we have gained some understanding of this question by examining the anatomical changes as well as functional neural patterns that are induced by the learning and use of multiple languages. In this article we review emerging evidence regarding how structural neuroplasticity occurs in the brain as a result of one's bilingual experience. Our review aims at identifying the processes and mechanisms that drive experience-dependent anatomical changes, and integrating structural imaging evidence with current knowledge of functional neural plasticity of language and other cognitive skills. The evidence reviewed so far portrays a picture that is highly consistent with structural neuroplasticity observed for other domains: second language experience-induced brain changes, including increased gray matter (GM) density and white matter (WM) integrity, can be found in children, young adults, and the elderly; can occur rapidly with short-term language learning or training; and are sensitive to age, age of acquisition, proficiency or performance level, language-specific charact…

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  • The number of empirical studies on the neurological substrates of FL aptitude is growing, producing accumulating evidence that is consistent and replicable across studies.

    “the number of empirical studies on the neurological substrates of FL aptitude is growing, producing accumulating evidence that is consistent and replicable across studies (Biedroń 2015; also see Li, Legault & Litcofsky 2014).”

    From Foreign language aptitude theory: Yesterday, today and tomorrow (2017) · cites this paper as Li, Legault & Litcofsky 2014

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Metadata

Authors
Li, P., Legault, J., & Litcofsky, K. A.
Venue
Cortex
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-09
Volume
58
Pages
301-324
ISSN
0010-9452
DOI
10.1016/j.cortex.2014.05.001
Cited by
458
References
16
Language
en
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Funders
National Science Foundation (BCS-1157220, BCS-1338946)

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