LOCALIZACIÓN DE FUENTES CEREBRALES EN NIÑOS GENERADAS POR ESTIMULACIÓN MULTILINGÜÍSTICA SIMULTÁNEA CHILDREN'S CEREBRAL SOURCE LOCALIZATION GENERATED BY SIMULTANEOUS MULTILINGUAL STIMULATION

There are few studies about multilingualism during childhood. This study’s method: Evoked potentials triggered off by words in different languages with different proficiency levels (Spanish, English, Portuguese and Chinese) were measured in 18 native Spanish-speaker children, who attend a bilingual (English-Spanish) school, Specifically, differences in N200 and N400 during the processing of those words were sought, as well as their electrical brain sources, using LORETA. Results: Those languages with higher proficiency levels are processed faster, yielding shorter latencies both in Spanish and English. All languages are bilateral in N200, save Portuguese, mostly right-sided. During the N400 it happens preeminently within the right hemisphere. Conclusions: These data suggest a less specialized language network during childhood and, therefore, language processing happens more bilaterally or goes to the right hemisphere, contrary to what happens during adulthood, when language activity is mostly left-sided.