Exploring attention in the bilingualism continuum: A resting-state functional connectivity study

This study explores the effects of bilingualism on the subcomponents of attention using resting state functional connectivity analysis (rsFC). Unlike previous studies, measures of bilingualism - L2 Age of Acquisition (AOA), L2 exposure, and L2 proficiency - were examined along a continuum to study attentional mechanisms using rsFC instead of dichotomizing them. 20 seed regions were pre-selected for the three subcomponents of attention. The results showed a positive association between behavioral performance and rsFC for the seeds in alerting and orienting network; this was not true for the seeds in the executive control network. Secondly, rsFC for attention networks varied with different levels of bilingualism. The objective measures of bilingualism modulate all three attention networks. While the subjective measures such as L2 AOA modulates specific attention network. Thus, language performance in contrast to self-reported information, as a measure of bilingualism, has a greater potential to tap into the role of bilingualism in attentional processes.

Automated summary

This study explores the effects of bilingualism on different subcomponents of attention using resting state functional connectivity analysis. The results show a positive correlation between behavioral performance and functional connectivity in the alerting and orienting networks, but not in the executive control network. Moreover, the levels of bilingualism modulate the functional connectivity of attention networks, with objective measures affecting all three networks and subjective measures only affecting specific networks. Therefore, language performance is a more effective measure in understanding the impact of bilingualism on attention processes.