Adults vary in how easily they learn new languages. While previous studies suggest this variability may be due to the distribution of groups of brain areas involved in attention, control, and memory, a direct link is lacking. Using a large sample of participants (101 people), Gangyi Feng, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues explored whether individual differences in the organization of these brain systems can explain language learning variability in adulthood. This work is published in JNeurosci.
The researchers scanned participants' brains prior to testing. Afterwards, for 1 week, participants learned an artificial language with different kinds of tasks. The organization of brain networks before training predicted both how well and how quickly participants learned. Says Feng, "The strongest predictors were not only in classic language areas. Learning success was most strongly related to networks involved in attention and cognitive control. These networks may help learners focus on useful information, adjust their responses based on feedback, and build new language knowledge over time." The researchers also identified a marker in the brain for better learning.
According to the researchers, this work suggests that language learning in adulthood depends on systems in the brain beyond the traditional language brain network. This work could pave the way for identifying neural conditions that support more effective learning. Feng emphasizes that this work doesn't necessarily mean language learning ability is predetermined but could help shed light on why some people benefit from certain kinds of training more than others.
