Have you ever wondered how being bilingual could shape your child’s brain? A fascinating study dives into the impact of bilingualism on the way our brains process sounds, and the findings might amaze you!
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Bilingual Advantage Unveiled
Scientists use various methods to study the mysteries of the mind. One such method involves biomarkers, which are measurements we can make about the body that are like clues that help researchers understand what’s happening, for example, inside the brain. In this study, researchers are interested in a process called subcortical processing, which involves how the brain handles information below the surface of the brain. By examining biomarkers related to subcortical processing, scientists can gain valuable insights into how our brains work and how factors like bilingualism can impact this important aspect of brain function.
The study, involving 41 young adults, explored the effects of bilingualism on the brain’s subcortical processing, especially in different listening situations. Out of the participants, 22 were bilingual and 19 were monolingual, all aged 18 to 25. The researchers measured participants’ fluency in their language(s) and recorded Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABRs) to uncover some intriguing insights. [As a side note, the brainstem is a part of our central nervous system, it sits at the bottom of the brain, and connects our brain to the spinal cord. ABR can be done by having electrodes put on our scalp to measure the brain activity in response to sounds and it can tell us how the brain’s pathway of hearing is working.]
Bilingual individuals showed shorter response times in their brain’s automatic sound processing, compared to their monolingual counterparts. In simpler terms, being fluent in two languages appears to make the brain more efficient in making sense of sounds, even in challenging situations like noisy environments.
How Does It Work?
The brain’s ability to adapt and process information is known as neuroplasticity, and this study suggests that bilingualism enhances this phenomenon. Bilingual individuals seem to have more efficient neural pathways connecting different parts of the brain, allowing them to perceive and encode auditory stimuli more effectively. It is like having very efficient expressways that allow us to go from point A to point B and point A detour to point C very quickly!
Looking Ahead: Potential Applications in Healthcare
The study not only provides insights into brain development but also hints at potential clinical applications. The Speech-ABR technique used in this study could become a valuable tool for audiologists, i.e., people who manage hearing problems in adults and children, perform tests on patients with hearing-related concerns and analyse their medical history to diagnose their condition and prescribe the right treatment for them. The technique can also help in identifying neural biomarkers in different populations, including those with auditory processing disorders, older adults, or individuals with sensory hearing loss.
What Does This Mean for Parents?
For parents, this study offers a glimpse into the potential benefits of exposing your child to multiple languages. Results suggest that individuals with exposure to multiple languages, especially from a young age, may enjoy more efficient subcortical processing in their brains. It’s like giving their brains a workout, making them more adept at handling various listening conditions. So, don’t hesitate to encourage language diversity at home; it might just give your child’s brain an extra boost!
Reference:
Koravand, A., Thompson, J., Chénier, G., & Kordjazi, N. (2019). The effects of bilingualism on speech evoked brainstem responses recorded in quiet and in noise. Canadian Acoustics, 47(2), 23-30. Retrieved from https://jcaa.caa-aca.ca/index.php/jcaa/article/view/3290
This post written by our intern Zhixing and edited by our Research Assistant Shaza and Research Fellow Rui Qi.