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Development of neural mechanisms for reading
Peter E Turkeltaub1, Lynn Gareau, D Lynn Flowers
1Georgetown University Medical Center, 4000 Reservoir Road, Building D Suite 150, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
Nature Neuroscience
|May 20, 2003
Summary
This study reveals how children's brains change as they learn to read, showing specific activity increases in the left hemisphere and decreases in the right. These brain developments support phonological processing and reading acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Pediatric brain imaging is complex, hindering research on cognitive skill development during childhood.
- Understanding the neural basis of reading acquisition is crucial for educational and clinical applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural changes associated with learning to read in children and adolescents.
- To identify brain activity patterns that correlate with reading skill development and phonological processing maturation.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study.
- Participants aged 6–22 years performed a task isolating reading-related brain activity.
- Analysis focused on changes in brain activity patterns during reading acquisition.
Main Results:
- Increased brain activity observed in the left-hemisphere middle temporal and inferior frontal gyri during reading acquisition.
- Decreased brain activity noted in right inferotemporal cortical areas.
- Activity in the left-posterior superior temporal sulcus correlated with phonological processing maturation in young readers.
Conclusions:
- Learning to read involves distinct patterns of neural change in both hemispheres.
- Findings support Orton's theory of reading development and inform current reading models.
- The study provides insights into the neural underpinnings of reading acquisition and phonological development.