Brain Circuit for Cognitive Control Is Shared by Task and Language Switching

De Baene, Wouter; Duyck, Wouter; Braß, Marcel; Carreiras, Manuel · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_00817

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Summary

This study investigates whether the neural mechanisms underlying language control in bilinguals are shared with domain-general cognitive control. While previous neuroimaging research suggested overlapping brain regions for language switching and nonverbal task switching, evidence remained indirect because these processes were rarely compared within the same participants using closely matched paradigms. The authors aimed to provide direct evidence for this neural overlap by examining early, highly proficient Spanish–Basque bilinguals who also possessed knowledge of English. They hypothesized that if language control relies on general executive functions, specifically mental shifting, the same brain circuits should be recruited during both linguistic and nonlinguistic switching tasks. To test this, the researchers employed a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) within-subject design involving 32 participants. The experimental protocol included two distinct but structurally matched switching tasks. The language-switching task required participants to name pictures in Spanish, Basque, or English based on visual cues. The nonverbal task-switching task required participants to perform one of three judgments (motion direction, color, or gender) on visual stimuli based on similar cues. Both tasks utilized a three-option design to ensure that switching required active selection rather than automatic alternation. Participants underwent fMRI scanning while performing these tasks, allowing for a direct comparison of switch-specific brain activation patterns between the linguistic and nonlinguistic conditions. Behavioral results confirmed that participants exhibited significant switch costs in both tasks, performing slower and less accurately on switch trials compared to repeat trials. Crucially, fMRI conjunction analysis revealed substantial neural overlap between the two conditions. Brain regions showing switch-specific activity common to both language and task switching included the precuneus, posterior cingulate cortex, pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), left inferior frontal junction, and left fusiform gyrus. Further region-of-interest analyses demonstrated that the voxel-wise patterns of selectivity for switching were significantly correlated between the language and task conditions in these areas, indicating that the same specific neural populations were engaged during both types of switching. The findings provide direct evidence that early, highly proficient bilinguals utilize a shared brain circuit for language control and domain-general cognitive control. This supports the theoretical view that managing multiple languages relies on general executive mechanisms, particularly mental shifting, rather than language-specific processes alone. By demonstrating that the neural substrates for switching languages are identical to those for switching nonverbal tasks within the same individuals, the study clarifies the nature of bilingual language control and its relationship to broader cognitive functions.

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• executive function