Bilingualism Tunes the Anterior Cingulate Cortex for Conflict Monitoring
Abstract
Monitoring and controlling 2 language systems is fundamental to language use in bilinguals. Here, we reveal in a combined functional (event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging) and structural neuroimaging (voxel-based morphometry) study that dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a structure tightly bound to domain-general executive control functions, is a common locus for language control and resolving nonverbal conflict. We also show an experience-dependent effect in the same region: Bilinguals use this structure more efficiently than monolinguals to monitor nonlinguistic cognitive conflicts. They adapted better to conflicting situations showing less ACC activity while outperforming monolinguals. Importantly, for bilinguals, brain activity in the ACC, as well as behavioral measures, also correlated positively with local gray matter volume. These results suggest that early learning and lifelong practice of 2 languages exert a strong impact upon human neocortical development. The bilingual brain adapts better to resolve cognitive conflicts in domain-general cognitive tasks.
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- Authors
- Abutalebi, J., Della Rosa, P. A., Green, D. W., Hernandez, M., Scifo, P., Keim, R., Cappa, S. F., & Costa, A.
- Affiliations
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University (IT)
- University College London (GB)
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES)
- Venue
- Cerebral Cortex
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2011-10-29
- Volume
- 22
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 2076-2086
- ISSN
- 1047-3211 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2199
- OpenAlex
- W2119669313
- Cited by
- 580
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2026: 24 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 57 · 2020: 52 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 52 · 2014: 43 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 14.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cerebral Cortex (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca - Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele (submittedVersion)
- 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, anterior cingulate cortex, conflict monitoring, executive function, language control, gray matter volume, cognitive adaptation, neocortex development
- MeSH terms
- Brain Mapping, Female, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Negotiating, Multilingualism, Young Adult
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