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Cognition, ageing, and bilingualism: Investigating age-related changes in bilingual language switching and use.

Objective

Older adults show difficulties with bilingual language processing and switching compared to younger adults. For example, they need more time to switch between languages and show more cross-language intrusions. Language problems have not only been found for healthy older adults, but also in patients with dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Language deterioration could be used as an early disease marker to improve diagnosis. However, the exact nature of bilingual language problems in healthy older adults needs to be studied first. Besides language deficits, older age has also been associated with deficits on executive control tasks (e.g. inhibition and switching tasks). While executive control is argued to be needed during (bilingual) language production, it is unclear how the two relate in older adults. Although some studies have found similarities between language and cognitive control, others found deviating patterns.

The proposed project therefore has two main aims:
1. Examine language switching and use in younger and older adults.
2. Investigate the relation between language and cognitive control.

We will investigate these questions in multiple experiments using behavioural and neuroimaging techniques. Language switching will be measured in picture-naming tasks eliciting switching in a cued or voluntary manner. Cross-language intrusions will be examined in a verbal fluency task. Participants will furthermore complete several executive control tasks (e.g. colour-shape switching task and Simon task). Besides comparing younger and older adults, we will also examine effects of language proficiency and switching context. In an fMRI study, we will investigate whether effects of age on neuronal mechanisms are similar for language and executive control. Together, these experiments will allow us to assess the mechanisms behind bilingual language switching and executive control in younger and older adults.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2016

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Coordinator

BCBL BASQUE CENTER ON COGNITION BRAIN AND LANGUAGE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 158 121,60
Address
PASEO MIKELETEGI 69 2
20009 San Sebastian
Spain

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Region
Noreste País Vasco Gipuzkoa
Activity type
Research Organisations
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 158 121,60
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