This research is funded by the Wellcome Trust.
Human beings have the unique ability to learn more than one language. Learning new languages involves more than an increase in vocabulary knowledge. Bilinguals and multilinguals also have to be able to suppress words in one language in order to communicate in another language. This requires extra brain power. Our team is interested in how the brain learns to control the use of different languages. We are also interested in how multilingual language abilities are affected after stroke. For example, if the stroke damages the ability to control the use of different languages, then the patient may unintentionally switch back and forth between languages or they may become stuck in one language and not be able to use their other languages.
By studying the brain scans of multilingual stroke patients, we aim to understand the most effective mechanisms that support speaking, listening, reading and writing in different languages. This may help to develop new behavioural treatments for stroke patients to enhance brain plasticity and language recovery.