Switching language switches mind: linguistic effects on developmental neural bases of "Theory of Mind," Chiyoko Kobayashi, Gary H. Glover, and Elise Temple in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Advance Access, 02/15/08.

This paper explores the neural basis of "theory of mind," the ability to understand what other people are thinking, in bilingual children and adults. The results suggest that there are differences in brain organization in children who were not only young, but also learned their second language early rather than late. This suggests that there are not only changes in "theory of mind" brain function as people develop, but also changes that are a result of the linguistic environment in which a child develops.

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