Neural recruitment of inhibitory control in executive function among monolingual and bilingual preterm-born children: An fNIRS study

Preterm-born children are at increased risk for executive function (EF) deficits, particularly in inhibitory control. While bilingualism has been linked to enhanced EF in term-born children, its effects on preterm populations are less understood. This study explored whether bilingualism supports inhibitory control in preterm-born children using behavioral and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data during a Go/No-Go task. Sixteen preterm-born children (ages 6–7), both bilingual and monolingual, were assessed. Bilingual participants demonstrated faster reaction times (RTs) without compromising accuracy and showed lower levels of oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) in the frontal lobe, indicating more efficient neural effort. Results underscore a distinct neural and behavioral profile in bilingual preterm children during inhibitory control tasks, emphasizing the role of language experience in shaping EF outcomes. These findings suggest that bilingualism may offer cognitive benefits for inhibitory control in preterm-born children and highlight the potential for bilingualism to support EF development in at-risk groups.