So you?re bilingual. What?s going on inside your brain?

GARCÍA, ADOLFO M.

Mar del Plata

Jornada; I Jornadas Nacionales del Profesorado de In; 2016

Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata

Bilingualism is a widespread phenomenon worldwide. More than half the world population is estimated to possess communicative skills in at least one non-native language. In recent years, multiple studies have examined how the bilingual experience impacts neurocognition at large? Guided by selected results, several researchers and science commentators have disseminated the idea that bilingualism (i) improves executive functions, induces increases of grey matter in regions associated with that domain, and (iii) confers protection against Alzheimer?s disease. However, a growing body of research has challenged those claims. In this talk, I will summarize the state of the field, considering results which both support and contradict each hypothesis. Numerous discrepancies in the literature seem to reflect methodological problems (e.g., sampling inadequacies) and theoretical limitations (e.g., vague definitions of central constructs). Having discussed such limitations, I will outline strategies to foster progress in future research and reflect on the biases which oftentimes frame the circulation of research results in scientific settings and in the mass media.