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. 2015 Jan 1:584:325-30.
doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.11.010. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Arithmetic memory networks established in childhood are changed by experience in adulthood

Amanda Martinez-Lincoln  1 , Christina Cortinas  1 , Nicole Y Y Wicha  2
Affiliations

Arithmetic memory networks established in childhood are changed by experience in adulthood

Amanda Martinez-Lincoln et al. Neurosci Lett. .

Abstract

Adult bilinguals show stronger access to multiplication tables when using the language in which they learned arithmetic during childhood (LA+) than the other language (LA-), implying language-specific encoding of math facts. However, most bilinguals use LA+ throughout their life, confounding the impact of encoding and use. We tested if using arithmetic facts in LA- could reduce this LA- disadvantage. We measured event related brain potentials while bilingual teachers judged the correctness of multiplication problems in each of their languages. Critically, each teacher taught arithmetic in either LA+ or LA-. Earlier N400 peak latency was observed in both groups for the teaching than non-teaching language, showing more efficient access to these facts with use. LA+ teachers maintained an LA+ advantage, while LA- teachers showed equivalent N400 congruency effects (for incorrect versus correct solutions) in both languages. LA- teachers also showed a late positive component that may reflect conflict monitoring between their LA+ and a strong LA-. Thus, the LA- disadvantage for exact arithmetic established in early bilingual education can be mitigated by later use of LA-.

Keywords: Bilingualism; Event-related potentials; LPC; Multiplication; N400.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Congruency Effects by Language and Group. Negative microvolts are plotted up on the Y-axis and milliseconds on the X-axis. (A) Group grand average ERPs at the Left Medial Central electrode (LMCe) for correct and incorrect solutions in each language; * indexes significant effects. Blue and red bars on timescale indicate analysis windows for N400 and LPC, respectively, and shading on ERPs indexes significant effects. Head diagram shows electrode distribution and position of LMCe. (B) Congruency effect as difference ERPs (incorrect minus correct) at LMCe. (C) Isovoltage scalp topography (26 electrodes) for the N400 congruency effects (incorrect minus correct); figures created using ERPSYSTEM and EEGLAB.
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