Executive function is necessary to enhance lexical processing in a less proficient L2: Evidence from fMR1 during picture naming

Recent work in the bilingual literature suggests that naming pictures in a second language (L2) differs from naming pictures in the first language (L1) because of effortful lexical retrieval. This finding has received some support in the neuroimaging literature (De Blesser et al., 2003). In the current study, twelve Spanish-English bilinguals, who had learned English later in early adulthood, were asked to name pictures covertly in either Spanish or English while being scanned with functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). Picture naming in the second language (L2) relative to the native language (L1) revealed increased activity in the right insula, anterior cingulate gyrus and dorsolateral prerontal cortex (DLPFC) and the left fusiform gyrus. These results are consistent with the view that picture naming in a less proficient L2 requires increased effort to establish links between Motor codes and visual forms.