SCI adv: learning to read can strengthen the visual function of the brain

September 18, 2019 / BIOON / -- how can learning to read change our brain? In a functional brain imaging study, the researchers compared the brains of local literate and illiterate people in India The results show that reading behavior can enhance the sensitivity of brain visual input (photo source: www Pixabay Com) reading is a "relatively new" invention in the process of human cultural history, so there is no specific evolution of the brain network responsible for "reading" So, how does human beings realize the act of "reading"? In fact, when we read, the brain area known as the "visual word form area" (VWFA) becomes sensitive to words (letters or characters) In response, some researchers believe that this change will affect the brain's processing of other visual signals, such as houses, faces, tools, etc Recently, a team led by Falk huettig and Alexis hervais Adelman from the University of Zurich tested the effects of reading on the visual system of the brain The team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to scan the brains of more than 90 adults living in remote areas of northern India who have varying degrees of literacy (from those who cannot read to skilled readers) During the scan, volunteers were asked to watch visual images of words and faces If reading behavior leads to "competition" with other visual areas in the brain, then readers should have different brain activation patterns from non readers However, huettig and hervais Adelman found that reading does not negatively affect the brain's response to non text objects, on the contrary, reading may enhance the brain's response to visual stimuli "Reading behavior not only does not have an adverse effect on other visual processing functions of brain regions, but also enhances its ability to process characters and images, especially in the left hemisphere (left ventral temporal lobe)." The author said Information source: learning to read boosts the visual brain original source: hervais Adelman, A., Kumar, U., Mishra, R K., Tripathi, V n., guleria, A., Singh, J P., Eisner, F., & huettig, F learning to read recycle visual corporate networks without structure Science advances, 2019 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0262