Dissertation: Two Languages, Two Input Modalities, One Brain

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Two Languages, Two Input Modalities, One Brain: An fMRI study of
Portuguese-English bilinguals and Portuguese listening and reading
comprehension effects on brain activation

Date: 16-Mar-2007

From: Augusto Buchweitz <abuch at andrew.cmu.edu>


Institution: Federal University of Santa Catarina
Program: Pos-Graduacao em Ingles (PPGI)
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2006

Author: Augusto Buchweitz

Dissertation Title: Two Languages, Two Input Modalities, One Brain: An
fMRI study of Portuguese-English bilinguals and Portuguese listening and
reading comprehension effects on brain activation


Subject Language(s): Portuguese (por)

Dissertation Director: Alves Fbio Just A Marcel Lda M Tomitch

Dissertation Abstract:

Highly proficient bilinguals skillfully process two languages with
comparable success. Languages have in speech and script two modalities of
input to convey information in linguistic form. In this dissertation, two
fMRI experiments were carried out with the aim to investigate (i)
Portuguese (L1) and English (L2) highly-proficient bilingual comprehension
and (ii) Portuguese input modality effects on brain activation.
Neuroimaging results for the first experiment showed that bilingual brain
activation was comparable in Portuguese and English comprehension;
however, additional activation of premotor and primary motor areas of the
cortex was identified in the comparison between second and first language
activation.  Results for the second experiment showed differential
activation in bilateral temporal cortex for listening, and left-inferior
occipital for reading comprehension. Results indicate (1) that there is an
additional effort in articulating and rehearsing information in L2
comprehension; and (2) that neuroanatomical differences in activation
between Portuguese reading and listening are associated with processing
auditory and visual information proper, but not with activation usually
associated with the triggering of higher-order cognition processes. These
results contribute to the understanding of bilingual comprehension
effects, and of input modality effects on brain activation and cognition.

http://linguistlist.org/issues/18/18-837.html

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