Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing

Bilingualism is a worldwide phenomenon and provides an opportunity to understand how the brain represents language processing. Although many studies have investigated the neural mechanism of bilingualism, it still remain unclear how brain systems are involved in the second language processing. Here,...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: JeYoung Jung, Kichun Nam, Hyesuk Cho, Sunmi Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00983/full
_version_ 1819130726752190464
author JeYoung Jung
Kichun Nam
Kichun Nam
Hyesuk Cho
Sunmi Kim
author_facet JeYoung Jung
Kichun Nam
Kichun Nam
Hyesuk Cho
Sunmi Kim
author_sort JeYoung Jung
collection DOAJ
description Bilingualism is a worldwide phenomenon and provides an opportunity to understand how the brain represents language processing. Although many studies have investigated the neural mechanism of bilingualism, it still remain unclear how brain systems are involved in the second language processing. Here, we examined the neural dynamics of bilinguals with medium proficiency during auditory word processing. Korean–English (K–E) bilinguals were recruited for the study (L1: Korean and L2: English). They performed a word comprehension task on phonological and semantic aspects by hearing words. We compared their task performance, task-induced regional activity, and functional connectivity (FC) between L1 and L2 processing. Brain activation analyses revealed that L2 evoked more widespread and stronger activation in brain regions involved in auditory word processing and the increased regional activity in L2 was prominent during phonological processing. Moreover, L2 evoked up-regulation during semantic processing was associated with L2 proficiency. FC analyses demonstrated that the intra-network connectivity showed stronger in the language network (LN), dorsal attention network (DAN), and default mode network (DMN) in L2 than L1. For the L2 phonological processing, the increased FC within the DAN was positively correlated with individuals’ L2 proficiency. Also, L2 semantic processing induced the enhanced internetwork connectivity between the LN and DMN. Our findings suggest that L2 processing in K–E bilinguals induces dynamic changes in the brain at a regional and network-level and FC analysis can disentangle the different networks involvement in L2 auditory word processing according to two key features: phonology and semantics.
first_indexed 2024-12-22T09:04:12Z
format Article
id doaj.art-a2a522ecb2ef490c98dcb8fb0094f573
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-1078
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-22T09:04:12Z
publishDate 2018-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychology
spelling doaj.art-a2a522ecb2ef490c98dcb8fb0094f5732022-12-21T18:31:38ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-06-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.00983313163Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word ProcessingJeYoung Jung0Kichun Nam1Kichun Nam2Hyesuk Cho3Sunmi Kim4Neuroscience and Aphasia Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United KingdomDepartment of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South KoreaWisdom Science Center, Korea University, Seoul, South KoreaWisdom Science Center, Korea University, Seoul, South KoreaWisdom Science Center, Korea University, Seoul, South KoreaBilingualism is a worldwide phenomenon and provides an opportunity to understand how the brain represents language processing. Although many studies have investigated the neural mechanism of bilingualism, it still remain unclear how brain systems are involved in the second language processing. Here, we examined the neural dynamics of bilinguals with medium proficiency during auditory word processing. Korean–English (K–E) bilinguals were recruited for the study (L1: Korean and L2: English). They performed a word comprehension task on phonological and semantic aspects by hearing words. We compared their task performance, task-induced regional activity, and functional connectivity (FC) between L1 and L2 processing. Brain activation analyses revealed that L2 evoked more widespread and stronger activation in brain regions involved in auditory word processing and the increased regional activity in L2 was prominent during phonological processing. Moreover, L2 evoked up-regulation during semantic processing was associated with L2 proficiency. FC analyses demonstrated that the intra-network connectivity showed stronger in the language network (LN), dorsal attention network (DAN), and default mode network (DMN) in L2 than L1. For the L2 phonological processing, the increased FC within the DAN was positively correlated with individuals’ L2 proficiency. Also, L2 semantic processing induced the enhanced internetwork connectivity between the LN and DMN. Our findings suggest that L2 processing in K–E bilinguals induces dynamic changes in the brain at a regional and network-level and FC analysis can disentangle the different networks involvement in L2 auditory word processing according to two key features: phonology and semantics.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00983/fullbilingualsfunctional connectivityneural plasticitydorsal attention networkdefault mode network (DMN)fMRI
spellingShingle JeYoung Jung
Kichun Nam
Kichun Nam
Hyesuk Cho
Sunmi Kim
Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
Frontiers in Psychology
bilinguals
functional connectivity
neural plasticity
dorsal attention network
default mode network (DMN)
fMRI
title Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
title_full Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
title_fullStr Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
title_full_unstemmed Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
title_short Mapping the Neural Dynamics of Korean–English Bilinguals With Medium Proficiency During Auditory Word Processing
title_sort mapping the neural dynamics of korean english bilinguals with medium proficiency during auditory word processing
topic bilinguals
functional connectivity
neural plasticity
dorsal attention network
default mode network (DMN)
fMRI
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00983/full
work_keys_str_mv AT jeyoungjung mappingtheneuraldynamicsofkoreanenglishbilingualswithmediumproficiencyduringauditorywordprocessing
AT kichunnam mappingtheneuraldynamicsofkoreanenglishbilingualswithmediumproficiencyduringauditorywordprocessing
AT kichunnam mappingtheneuraldynamicsofkoreanenglishbilingualswithmediumproficiencyduringauditorywordprocessing
AT hyesukcho mappingtheneuraldynamicsofkoreanenglishbilingualswithmediumproficiencyduringauditorywordprocessing
AT sunmikim mappingtheneuraldynamicsofkoreanenglishbilingualswithmediumproficiencyduringauditorywordprocessing