1887
Volume 11, Issue 4
  • ISSN 1879-9264
  • E-ISSN: 1879-9272

Abstract

Abstract

It has been suggested that bilingualism is beneficial for executive control and could have positive long-term effects by delaying the onset of symptoms of degenerative diseases. This research investigates, for the first time, the impact of bilingualism on executive control (monitoring and inhibitory control) in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a neurodegenerative disease which commonly causes deficiencies in the cognitive system. Bilingual and monolingual adults, with and without an MS diagnosis, performed a flanker task with two degrees of monitoring demands (high monitoring vs. low monitoring). Results showed that bilingual MS patients had inhibitory control and monitoring abilities that were similar to healthy bilingual controls. In contrast, monolingual MS patients showed similar inhibitory control but significantly worse monitoring abilities compared to monolingual healthy controls. We propose that the similar behaviour between bilingual groups suggests that bilingualism might counteract cognitive deficits related to MS, especially with respect to monitoring. The high monitoring cost observed in monolingual patients seems related to underlying deficits in monitoring and possibly switching, executive control abilities commonly impaired in MS patients from early stages. Our findings provide some preliminary evidence for the cognitive reserve hypothesis in bilingual MS patients.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/lab.18037.ave
2020-01-16
2024-03-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Alladi, S. , Bak, T. H. , Duggirala, V. , Surampudi, B. , Shailaja, M. , Shukla, A. K. , … & Kaul, S.
    (2013) Bilingualism delays age at onset of dementia, independent of education and immigration status. Neurology, 81(22), 1938–1944. 10.1212/01.wnl.0000436620.33155.a4
    https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000436620.33155.a4 [Google Scholar]
  2. Amato, M. P. , Zipoli, V. , & Portaccio, E.
    (2006) Multiple sclerosis-related cognitive changes: a review of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Journal of the neurological sciences, 245(1–2), 41–46. 10.1016/j.jns.2005.08.019
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2005.08.019 [Google Scholar]
  3. Anderson, J. A. , Mak, L. , Chahi, A. K. , & Bialystok, E.
    (2018) The language and social background questionnaire: Assessing degree of bilingualism in a diverse population. Behaviour Research Methods, 50(1), 250–263. 10.3758/s13428‑017‑0867‑9
    https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-017-0867-9 [Google Scholar]
  4. Beatty, W. W. , Goodkin, D. E. , Beatty, P. A. , & Monson, N.
    (1989) Frontal lobe dysfunction and memory impairment in patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis. Brain and Cognition, 11(1), 73–86. 10.1016/0278‑2626(89)90006‑7
    https://doi.org/10.1016/0278-2626(89)90006-7 [Google Scholar]
  5. Benedict, R. H. , Bakshi, R. , Simon, J. H. , Priore, R. , Miller, C. , & Munschauer, F.
    (2002) Frontal cortex atrophy predicts cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences, 14(1), 44–51. 10.1176/jnp.14.1.44
    https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.14.1.44 [Google Scholar]
  6. Benedict, R. H. , Wahlig, E. , Bakshi, R. , Fishman, I. , Munschauer, F. , Zivadinov, R. , & Weinstock-Guttman, B.
    (2005) Predicting quality of life in multiple sclerosis: accounting for physical disability, fatigue, cognition, mood disorder, personality, and behavior change. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 231(1), 29–34. 10.1016/j.jns.2004.12.009
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2004.12.009 [Google Scholar]
  7. Benedict, R. H. , Weinstock-Guttman, B. , Fishman, I. , Sharma, J. , Tjoa, C. W. , & Bakshi, R.
    (2004) Prediction of neuropsychological impairment in multiple sclerosis: comparison of conventional magnetic resonance imaging measures of atrophy and lesion burden. Archives of neurology, 61(2), 226–230. 10.1001/archneur.61.2.226
    https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.61.2.226 [Google Scholar]
  8. Bialystok, E.
    (2006) Effect of bilingualism and computer video game experience on the Simon task. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology, 60, 68–79. 10.1037/cjep2006008
    https://doi.org/10.1037/cjep2006008 [Google Scholar]
  9. (2016) The signal and the noise: Finding the pattern in human behaviour. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 6(5), 517–534. 10.1075/lab.15040.bia
    https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.15040.bia [Google Scholar]
  10. Bialystok, E. , Craik, F. I. , Klein, R. , & Viswanathan, M.
    (2004) Bilingualism, aging, and cognitive control: evidence from the Simon task. Psychology and Aging, 19(2), 290–303. 10.1037/0882‑7974.19.2.290
    https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.19.2.290 [Google Scholar]
  11. Bialystok, E. , Craik, F. I. , & Ryan, J.
    (2006) Executive control in a modified antisaccade task: Effects of aging and bilingualism. Journal of experimental psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 32(6), 1341.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Bialystok, E. , Craik, F. I. , & Freedman, M.
    (2007) Bilingualism as a protection against the onset of symptoms of dementia. Neuropsychologia, 45(2), 459–464. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.10.009
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.10.009 [Google Scholar]
  13. Bialystok, E. , Craik, F. I. , & Luk, G.
    (2008) Cognitive control and lexical access in younger and older bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, memory, and cognition, 34(4), 859.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. (2012) Bilingualism: consequences for mind and brain. Trends in cognitive sciences, 16(4), 240–250. 10.1016/j.tics.2012.03.001
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2012.03.001 [Google Scholar]
  15. Bialystok, E. , Martin, M. M. , & Viswanathan, M.
    (2005) Bilingualism across the lifespan: The rise and fall of inhibitory control. International Journal of Bilingualism, 9(1), 103–119. 10.1177/13670069050090010701
    https://doi.org/10.1177/13670069050090010701 [Google Scholar]
  16. Bialystok, E.
    (2016) The signal and the noise. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 6(5), 517–534. 10.1075/lab.15040.bia
    https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.15040.bia [Google Scholar]
  17. Chiaravalloti, N. D. , & DeLuca, J.
    (2008) Cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. The Lancet Neurology, 7(12), 1139–1151. 10.1016/S1474‑4422(08)70259‑X
    https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(08)70259-X [Google Scholar]
  18. Clough, M. , Foletta, P. , Frohman, A. N. , Sears, D. , Ternes, A. , White, O. B. , & Fielding, J.
    (2018) Multiple sclerosis: Executive dysfunction, task switching and the role of attention. Multiple Sclerosis Journal–Experimental, Translational and Clinical, 4(2), 2055217318771781. 10.1177/2055217318771781
    https://doi.org/10.1177/2055217318771781 [Google Scholar]
  19. Colzato, L. S. , Bajo, M. T. , van den Wildenberg, W. , Paolieri, D. , Nieuwenhuis, S. , La Heij, W. , & Hommel, B.
    (2008) How does bilingualism improve executive control? A comparison of active and reactive inhibition mechanisms. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 34(2), 302.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Costa, A. , Hernández, M. , & Sebastián-Gallés, N.
    (2008) Bilingualism aids conflict resolution: Evidence from the ANT task. Cognition, 106(1), 59–86. 10.1016/j.cognition.2006.12.013
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2006.12.013 [Google Scholar]
  21. Costa, A. , Hernández, M. , Costa-Faidella, J. , & Sebastián-Gallés, N.
    (2009) On the bilingual advantage in conflict processing: Now you see it, now you don’t. Cognition, 113(2), 135–149. 10.1016/j.cognition.2009.08.001
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2009.08.001 [Google Scholar]
  22. Craik, F. I. , Bialystok, E. , & Freedman, M.
    (2010) Delaying the onset of Alzheimer disease Bilingualism as a form of cognitive reserve. Neurology, 75(19), 1726–1729. 10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181fc2a1c
    https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181fc2a1c [Google Scholar]
  23. Del Maschio, N. , Sulpizio, S. , Toti, M. , Caprioglio, C. , Del Mauro, G. , Fedeli, D. , & Abutalebi, J.
    (2019) Second language use rather than second language knowledge relates to changes in white matter microstructure. Journal of Cultural Cognitive Science, 1–11.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. DeLuca, V. , Rothman, J. , Bialystoke, E. , & Pliatsikas, C.
    (2019) Redefining bilingualism as a spectrum of experiences that differentially affects brain structure and function. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United State of America, 116(15) 7565–7574. 10.1073/pnas.1811513116
    https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811513116 [Google Scholar]
  25. Denney, D. R. , Sworowski, L. A. , & Lynch, S. G.
    (2005) Cognitive impairment in three subtypes of multiple sclerosis. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 20(8), 967–981. 10.1016/j.acn.2005.04.012
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2005.04.012 [Google Scholar]
  26. Di Filippo, M. , Portaccio, E. , Mancini, A. , & Calabresi, P.
    (2018) Multiple sclerosis and cognition: synaptic failure and network dysfunction. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(10), 599–609. 10.1038/s41583‑018‑0053‑9
    https://doi.org/10.1038/s41583-018-0053-9 [Google Scholar]
  27. Dineen, R. A. , Vilisaar, J. , Hlinka, J. , Bradshaw, C. M. , Morgan, P. S. , Constantinescu, C. S. , & Auer, D. P.
    (2009) Disconnection as a mechanism for cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. Brain: A Journal of Neurology, 132, 239–249. 10.1093/brain/awn275
    https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn275 [Google Scholar]
  28. Drew, M. , Tippett, L. J. , Starkey, N. J. , & Isler, R. B.
    (2008) Executive dysfunction and cognitive impairment in a large community-based sample with Multiple Sclerosis from New Zealand: a descriptive study. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 23(1), 1–19. 10.1016/j.acn.2007.09.005
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acn.2007.09.005 [Google Scholar]
  29. Dujardin, K. , Donze, A. C. , & Hautecoeur, P.
    (1998) Attention impairment in recently diagnosed multiple sclerosis. European journal of neurology, 5(1), 61–66. 10.1046/j.1468‑1331.1998.510061.x
    https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-1331.1998.510061.x [Google Scholar]
  30. Feinstein, A. , Kartsounis, L. D. , Miller, D. H. , Youl, B. D. , & Ron, M. A.
    (1992) Clinically isolated lesions of the type seen in multiple sclerosis: a cognitive, psychiatric, and MRI follow up study. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 55(10), 869–876. 10.1136/jnnp.55.10.869
    https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.55.10.869 [Google Scholar]
  31. Fischer, J. S. , Foley, F. W. , Aikens, J. E. , Ericson, G. D. , Rao, S. M. , & Shindell, S.
    (1994) What do we really know about cognitive dysfunction, affective disorders, and stress in multiple sclerosis? A practitioner’s guide. Journal of Neurologic Rehabilitation, 8(3), 151–164.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Foong, J. , Rozewicz, L. , Quaghebeur, G. , Davie, C. A. , Kartsounis, L. D. , Thompson, A. J. , Miller, D. H. , & Ron, M. A.
    (1997) Executive function in multiple sclerosis The role of frontal lobe pathology. Brain, 120, 15–26. 10.1093/brain/120.1.15
    https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/120.1.15 [Google Scholar]
  33. Gollan, T. H. , Salmon, D. P. , Montoya, R. I. , & Galasko, D. R.
    (2011) Degree of bilingualism predicts age of diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in low-education but not in highly educated Hispanics. Neuropsychologia, 49(14), 3826–3830. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.09.041
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.09.041 [Google Scholar]
  34. Gold, B. T.
    (2015) Lifelong bilingualism and neural reserve against Alzheimer’s disease: A review of findings and potential mechanisms. Behavioural Brain Research, 281, 9–15. 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.006
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.006 [Google Scholar]
  35. Green, D. W.
    (1998) Bilingualism and thought. Psychologica Belgica, 38(3–4), 251–276. 10.5334/pb.936
    https://doi.org/10.5334/pb.936 [Google Scholar]
  36. Hilchey, M. D. & Klein, R. M.
    (2011) Are there bilingual advantages on nonlinguistic interference tasks? Implications for the plasticity of executive
control processes. Psychonomic Bulletin Review, 18, 625–658. 10.3758/s13423‑011‑0116‑7
    https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-011-0116-7 [Google Scholar]
  37. Hofweber, J. , Marinis, T. & Treffers-Daller, J.
    (2016) Effects of dense codeswitching on executive control. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 6 (5), 648–668. 10.1075/lab.15052.hof
    https://doi.org/10.1075/lab.15052.hof [Google Scholar]
  38. Kobelt, G. , Langdon, D. , & Jönsson, L.
    (2019) The effect of self-assessed fatigue and subjective cognitive impairment on work capacity: The case of multiple sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 25(5), 740–749. 10.1177/1352458518769837
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458518769837 [Google Scholar]
  39. Kujala, P. , Portin, R. , Revonsuo, A. , & Ruutiainen, J.
    (1995) Attention related performance in two cognitively different subgroups of patients with multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 59(1), 77–82. 10.1136/jnnp.59.1.77
    https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.59.1.77 [Google Scholar]
  40. Lezak, M. , Howieson, D. , Bigler, E. , & Tranel, D.
    (2012) Neuropsychological Assessment. 5th Ed.Oxford University Press: New York.
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Migliore, S. , Curcio, G. , Couyoumdjian, A. , Ghazaryan, A. , Landi, D. , Moffa, F. , … & Vernieri, F.
    (2017) Executive functioning in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients without cognitive impairment: a task-switching protocol. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 24(10), 1328–1336. 10.1177/1352458517719149
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458517719149 [Google Scholar]
  42. Mollison, D. , Sellar, R. , Bastin, M. , Mollison, D. , Chandran, S. , Wardlaw, J. , & Connick, P.
    (2017) The clinico-radiological paradox of cognitive function and MRI burden of white matter lesions in people with multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one, 12(5), e0177727. 10.1371/journal.pone.0177727
    https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177727 [Google Scholar]
  43. Norman, D. A. , & Shallice, T.
    (1986) Attention to Action. In R. J. Davidson , G. E. Schwartz , D. Shapiro (Eds), Consciousness and Self-Regulation (pp.1-18). Boston, MA: Springer. 10.1007/978‑1‑4757‑0629‑1_1
    https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-0629-1_1 [Google Scholar]
  44. Ortiz- Pérez, S. , Andorra, M. , Sanchez-Dalmau, B. , Torres–Torres, R. , Calbet, D. , Lampert, E. J. , … & Llufriu, S.
    (2016) Visual field impairment captures disease burden in multiple sclerosis. Journal of Neurology, 263(4), 695–702. 10.1007/s00415‑016‑8034‑2
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8034-2 [Google Scholar]
  45. Paap, K. R. , Johnson, H. A. , & Sawi, O.
    (2015) Bilingual advantages in executive functioning either do not exist or are restricted to very specific and undetermined circumstances. Cortex, 69, 265–278. 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.04.014
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2015.04.014 [Google Scholar]
  46. Paap, K. R. , & Greenberg, Z. I.
    (2013) There is no coherent evidence for a bilingual advantage in executive processing. Cognitive psychology, 66(2), 232–258. 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.12.002
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.12.002 [Google Scholar]
  47. Pliatsikas, C.
    (2019) Understanding structural plasticity in the bilingual brain: The Dynamic Restructuring Model. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, 1–13. 10.1017/S1366728919000130
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1366728919000130 [Google Scholar]
  48. Pliatsikas, C. , DeLuca, V. , Moschopoulou, E. , & Saddy, J. D.
    (2017) Immersive bilingualism reshapes the core of the brain. Brain Structure and Function, 222(4), 1785–1795. 10.1007/s00429‑016‑1307‑9
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-016-1307-9 [Google Scholar]
  49. Pliatsikas, C. , Moschopoulou, E. , & Saddy, J. D.
    (2015) The effects of bilingualism on the white matter structure of the brain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(5), 1334–1337. 10.1073/pnas.1414183112
    https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1414183112 [Google Scholar]
  50. Peirce, J. W.
    (2007) PsychoPy – psychophysics software in Python. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 162(1-2), 8–13. 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2006.11.017
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2006.11.017 [Google Scholar]
  51. Polman, C. H. , Reingold, S. C. , Banwell, B. , Clanet, M. , Cohen, J. A. , Filippi, M. , & Lublin, F. D.
    (2011) Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2010 revisions to the McDonald criteria. Annals of neurology, 69(2), 292–302. 10.1002/ana.22366
    https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.22366 [Google Scholar]
  52. Rao, S. M.
    (1986) Neuropsychology of multiple sclerosis: a critical review. Journal of Clinical and experimental Neuropsychology, 8(5), 503–542. 10.1080/01688638608405173
    https://doi.org/10.1080/01688638608405173 [Google Scholar]
  53. Rao, S. M. , Leo, G. J. , Bernardin, L. , & Unverzagt, F.
    (1991) Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis. I. Frequency, patterns, and prediction. Neurology, 41(5), 685–691. 10.1212/WNL.41.5.685
    https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.41.5.685 [Google Scholar]
  54. Rocca, M. A. , Riccitelli, G. , Pagani, E. , Radaelli, M. , Preziosa, P. , Comi, G. , … & Filippi, M.
    (2018a) Structural and functional abnormalities underlying cognitive impairment in benign MS. European Journal of Neurology, 25, 492–492.
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Rocca, M. A. , Valsasina, P. , Leavitt, V. M. , Rodegher, M. , Radaelli, M. , Riccitelli, G. C. , … & Filippi, M.
    (2018b) Functional network connectivity abnormalities in multiple sclerosis: Correlations with disability and cognitive impairment. Multiple Sclerosis Journal, 24(4), 459–471. 10.1177/1352458517699875
    https://doi.org/10.1177/1352458517699875 [Google Scholar]
  56. Rueda, M. R. , Bruce, J. F. , McCandliss, D. , Halparin, J. D. , Gruber, D. B. , Pappert Lercari, L. & Posner, M. I.
    (2004) Development of attentional networks in childhood. Neuropsychologia, 42, 1029–1040. 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.12.012
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.12.012 [Google Scholar]
  57. Schulz, D. , Kopp, B. , Kunkel, A. , & Faiss, J. H.
    (2006) Cognition in the early stage of multiple sclerosis. Journal of neurology, 253(8), 1002–1010. 10.1007/s00415‑006‑0145‑8
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0145-8 [Google Scholar]
  58. Sokolov, A. A. , Grivaz, P. , & Bove, R.
    (2018) Cognitive deficits in multiple sclerosis: recent advances in treatment and neurorehabilitation. Current Treatment Options in Neurology, 20(12), 53. 10.1007/s11940‑018‑0538‑x
    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-018-0538-x [Google Scholar]
  59. Staffen, W. , Mair, A. , Zauner, H. , Unterrainer, J. , Neiderhofer, Kutzelnigg A. , Ritter, S. , Golaszewski, S. , Iglseder, B. & Ladurner, G.
    (2002) Cognitive function and fMRI in patients with multiple sclerosis: evidence for compensatory cortical activation during an attention task. Brain, 125, 1275–1282. 10.1093/brain/awf125
    https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awf125 [Google Scholar]
  60. Stern, Y.
    (2002) What is cognitive reserve? Theory and research application of the reserve concept. Journal of the International. Neuropsychology Society, 8, 448–460. 10.1017/S1355617702813248
    https://doi.org/10.1017/S1355617702813248 [Google Scholar]
  61. Sumowski, J. F. , Benedict, R. , Enzinger, C. , Filippi, M. , Geurts, J. J. , Hamalainen, P. , … & Rosti-Otajarvi, E. M.
    (2018) Cognition in multiple sclerosis: State of the field and priorities for the future. Neurology, 90(6), 278–288. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004977
    https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004977 [Google Scholar]
  62. Zahodne, L. B. , Schofield, P. W. , Farrell, M. T. , Stern, Y. , & Manly, J. J.
    (2014) Bilingualism does not alter cognitive decline or dementia risk among Spanish-speaking immigrants. Neuropsychology, 28(2), 238. 10.1037/neu0000014
    https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000014 [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1075/lab.18037.ave
Loading
/content/journals/10.1075/lab.18037.ave
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): atypical bilingualism; bilingual; flanker task; monolingual; Multiple Sclerosis
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error