Thursday, April 24, 2014

Bring In the Brokers


Speaking two languages could not be more helpful in today’s world. It’s no mystery that being raised a bilingual only has great benefits but studies have actually proven that the mind functions at a quicker rate that not only enhances children on an academic level but also helps postpone elderly diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
In the study presented by Valerie Flores on bilingualism, it was evident that being a language carried a great deal of enhancement in the way the mind functions. In her research using a color- word stroop task, she was able to demonstrate how the brain responds to certain tasks in the mind of a language broker vs. a non-language broker. Focusing on even-related potential, she watched for N200 as N200 is where the brain detects any conflicting information present. Her study showed the power of inhibition that bilingual language brokers have that give rise to the availability to shift from task to task, allowing more concentration and focus.

In a study by psychologists Ellen Bialstok and Michelle Marin-Rhee, preschoolers who were bilingual and monolingual were asked to sort circles that were blue and squares that were red into bins labeled ‘blue square’ and ‘red circle’. The first task was to match according to color, blue into the blue bin, and red into the red bin. The second task, the more complicated of the two, was to sort according to shape. The bilinguals seemed to accomplish this task at a quicker rate. This task showed evidence of the executive control system of the brain to be more advanced in bilinguals than monolingual.
The executive function serves as a "command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind
What these two studies were able to determine, is that this ability to function at a quicker rate is the ability to inhibit one language, while the other is used. Inhibition makes for the brain to switch from different languages thus the brain is constantly working to distinguish between the two. 
Because the brain is consistently working in the mind of a bilingual, studies also show that there is a later onset to Alzheimer’s disease. In a study by neuropsychologist, Tamar Gollan, 44 elders were measured on their expertise in each language. Results showed that those with a higher degree of proficiency could postpone or have a later onset to Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Another research that was able to prove that being bilingual has benefits a great deal of benefits for elders was done by researchers from University of Kentucky College of Medicine in which 110 participants ranging in age from 60-68 were given a cognitive flexibility task all the while they had brain imaging tests. Some of these participants were bilingual since they were young, and others only spoke on language.
Both bilingual and monolingual participants were able to complete the task, however, the bilinguals were able to complete the task more quickly. The prefrontal cortex of the bilinguals showed to use less energy than those seniors who were monolingual suggesting that the brains of the bilingual seniors still ran effortlessly and more efficiently.



The exposure of different languages at a young age display a great deal of benefits and as the world keeps expanding so should our minds. 




Sources:
Bhattacharjee, Y. (2012, March 17). Why Bilinguals Are Smarter. The New York Times. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-of-bilingualism.html?_r=0
Chan, A. (2013, January 8). Bilingual Adults Have Sharper Brains, Study Suggests.Huffpost Healthy Living. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/bilingual-brain-cognitive-flexibility_n_2432948.htm

Flores, Valerie. "Cognitive Strengths Among Bilinguals". Loyola University Chicago Neuroscience Seminar. 15 April 2014.


No comments:

Post a Comment