Domain-general and language-specific contributions to speech production in a second language: an fMRI study using functional localizers.

ABSTRACT: For bilinguals, speaking in a second language (L2) compared to the native language (L1) is usually more difficult. In this study we asked whether the difficulty in L2 production reflects increased demands imposed on domain-general or core language mechanisms. We compared the brain response to speech production in L1 and L2 within two functionally-defined networks in the brain: the Multiple Demand (MD) network and the language network. We found that speech production in L2 was linked to a widespread increase of brain activity in the domain-general MD network. The language network did not show a similarly robust differences in processing speech in the two languages, however, we found increased response to L2 production in the language-specific portion of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG)

SUBMITTER: Wolna A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10761726 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature