title: Reduced frontal activation with increasing 2nd language proficiency.
abstract: The factors influencing the degree of separation or overlap in the neuronal networks responsible for the processing of first and second language are still subject to investigation. This longitudinal study investigates how increasing second language proficiency influences activation differences during lexico-semantic processing of first and second language. Native English speaking exchange students learning German were examined with functional magnetic resonance imaging while reading words in three different languages at two points in time: at the beginning of their stay (day 1) and 5 months later (day 2), when second language proficiency had significantly increased. On day 1, second language words evoked more frontal activation than words from the mother tongue. These differences were diminished on day 2. We therefore conclude that with increasing second language proficiency, lexico-semantic processing of second language words needs less frontal control. Our results demonstrate that lexico-semantic processing of first and second language converges onto similar networks as second language proficiency increases.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital of Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatric Neurophysiology, Bolligenstrasse 111, CH - 3000 Bern 60, Switzerland. stein@puk.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Federspiel
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koenig
authors.forename: Miranka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wirth
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wiest
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Strik
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brandeis
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dierks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors