Reduced frontal activation with increasing 2nd language proficiency

Stein, Maria; Federspiel, Andrea; Koenig, Thomas; Wirth, Miranka; Lehmann, Christoph; Wiest, Roland; Strik, Werner; Brandeis, Daniel; Dierks, Thomas (2009). Reduced frontal activation with increasing 2nd language proficiency. Neuropsychologia, 47(13), pp. 2712-20. Oxford: Elsevier 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.05.023

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The factors influencing the degree of separation or overlap in the neuronal networks responsible for the processing of first and second language are still subject to investigation. This longitudinal study investigates how increasing second language proficiency influences activation differences during lexico-semantic processing of first and second language. Native English speaking exchange students learning German were examined with functional magnetic resonance imaging while reading words in three different languages at two points in time: at the beginning of their stay (day 1) and 5 months later (day 2), when second language proficiency had significantly increased. On day 1, second language words evoked more frontal activation than words from the mother tongue. These differences were diminished on day 2. We therefore conclude that with increasing second language proficiency, lexico-semantic processing of second language words needs less frontal control. Our results demonstrate that lexico-semantic processing of first and second language converges onto similar networks as second language proficiency increases.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Psychiatric Neurophysiology [discontinued] 04 Faculty of Medicine > Department of Radiology, Neuroradiology and Nuclear Medicine (DRNN) > Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology 04 Faculty of Medicine > University Psychiatric Services > University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy > Management
UniBE Contributor:	Stein, Maria, Federspiel, Andrea, König, Thomas, Wirth, Miranka, Lehmann, Christoph, Wiest, Roland Gerhard Rudi, Strik, Werner, Dierks, Thomas
ISSN:	0028-3932
ISBN:	19501603
Publisher:	Elsevier
Language:	English
Submitter:	Factscience Import
Date Deposited:	04 Oct 2013 15:07
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2023 23:23
Publisher DOI:	10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.05.023
PubMed ID:	19501603
Web of Science ID:	000271067100006
URI:	https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/29613 (FactScience: 153966)