The Effects of Bilingualism on Cognitive Development

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What do we know about the effects bilingualism has on cognitive development? Our world is becoming progressively bilingual; in the US 21% of school age children between the ages of 5-17 years old can speak other than English at home and this number is expected to increase in the coming years. On top of social reasons, the positive effects to the cognitive development of the brain when introduced to a second language are of many. The age of acquisition is vital due to the plasticity of the brain, which according to the critical period hypothesis, begins to level after five years of age. In addition to plasticity, bilingual speakers are more capable of focusing their attention to solve complex problems compared to monolingual speakers. Therefore an individual will have more of a cognitive advantage if he/she is more adept in his/her languages. Bilingualism itself can be held responsible for increased levels of executive control; in order to maintain a balance between two languages the bilingual brain depends on a monitoring system of general cognitive abilities that includes attention and inhibition processes. Furthermore, studies have proven that bilingual patients suffer less from dementia and other aging diseases in the brain versus monolingual patients.

Neurolinguistic research has recently proven that proficiency in a second language affects structural changes in the brain. Mechelli et. al. demonstrated in a study that acquisition in a second language increases the density of grey matter in the left inferior parietal cortex; the amount of structural reorganization in this region is controlled by the proficiency achieved and the age at acquisition. This study used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine structural plasticity ...

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...gual children.

Given the extent of exposure and age of acquisition, there is enough evidence that proves the bilingual brain can exhibit advanced cognitive abilities compared to the monolingual brain. Technological advances such as PET and other functional neuroimaging techniques have provided a direct opening into the complex devices among language systems in the bilingual brain. The higher executive function utilized by bilingual speakers in order to task-switch between two languages strengthens the control mechanisms in different brain regions. Therefore the consistent practice of control using both languages will delay onset of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and other brain aging diseases. Factors to be considered when measuring neural functions in bilingual and monolingual brains include age of onset, gender, education, and significant language experience.

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