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Patterns of Cortical Activity in a Silent Single-Word Reading Task Depend on Word Frequency and Age-Related
Ilya Samoylov1, Tatyana Bolgina1, Georgii Lonshakov1
1Center for Language and Brain, HSE University, Moscow, Russia.
Psychophysiology
|November 25, 2025
Summary
High-frequency words are processed more efficiently by adults and children, but children show increased neural activation and slower processing, indicating maturing reading pathways. This study used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to analyze brain activity during reading.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Word frequency impacts reading efficiency.
- Brain activation patterns during reading differ between children and adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how word frequency and age affect cortical activation during silent reading.
- Analyze temporal and spatial patterns of brain activity using magnetoencephalography (MEG).
- Examine developmental differences in reading processing pathways.
Main Methods:
- Recorded MEG data from 30 adults and 30 children during a silent reading task.
- Utilized high-frequency words, low-frequency words, and pseudowords.
- Analyzed event-related fields (ERF) and peak latency (PL) for cortical activation.
Main Results:
- High-frequency words showed lower ERF amplitudes and faster processing than low-frequency words and pseudowords in both groups.
- Children exhibited higher amplitudes and longer processing times compared to adults.
- Similar neural regions were activated, but with age-dependent modulation.
Conclusions:
- Word frequency significantly influences reading neural dynamics, with higher frequency words processed more efficiently.
- Children's reading pathways are still maturing, evidenced by greater neural activation and delayed processing.
- Frequency-dependent processing in the superior temporal gyrus of children supports the dual-route cascaded theory of reading development.
