Bilingual brain training: A neurobiological framework of how bilingual experience improves executive function

Abstract

Individuals who develop bilingually typically outperform monolinguals on tests of executive functions. This advantage likely reflects enhanced prefrontal function, but the mechanisms that underlie this improvement are still poorly understood. This article describes a theory on the nature of the neural underpinnings of improved executive function in bilinguals. Specifically, we propose that growing up in a bilingual environment trains a gating system in the striatum that flexibly routes information to the prefrontal cortex. This article is divided into three sections. Firstly, literature establishing a three-way connection between bilingualism, executive function, and fronto-striatal loops is summarized. Secondly, a computational model of information processing in the basal ganglia is described, illustrating how the striatal nuclei function to transfer information between cortical regions under prerequisite conditions. Finally, this model is extended to describe how bilingualism may “train the brain,” enabling improved performance under conditions of competitive information selection during information transfer. Theoretical implications and predictions of this theory are discussed.