On February 11, 2025, an article was published by the Genetics Literacy Project about how brain structure can be used to understand reading skills. The article explains that a study published by Mikael Roll in Neuroimage found that brain anatomy was different in people of varying reading abilities; specifically, two parts of the brain in the left hemisphere. One part of the brain is the left temporal pole which associates and categorizes information through visual, sensory, and motor information. The other part of the brain is the Heschl’s gyrus which is a fold on the upper temporal lobe that is home to the auditory cortex. This is responsible for phonetic understanding, which leads to higher reading ability.
The temporal lobe. From Spinalcord.com
Roll found that thicker Heschl’s gyri were found in individuals who study language, and individuals who study phonetics typically have multiple left Heschl’s gyri. Reading more can increase the size of the Heschl’s gyrus and temporal pole. As an avid reader I find it interesting to now know what parts of the brain are used when reading. Even just reading for fun can help improve brain function and increase the ability to interpret information quickly.
Cassie, this is a fascinating insight into how reading physically shapes our brains! This study makes a strong case for encouraging reading at all ages, not just in childhood. The fact that even casual reading can enhance brain function is a powerful motivator to pick up a book more often. It would be interesting to explore whether different genres or types of reading material affect brain development differently. Does reading fiction, for example, stimulate these brain regions differently than technical or analytical reading?
ReplyDeleteThis is such fascinating research! I wonder what the effects of declining literacy rates will be on brain function. Perhaps this research will encourage more people to pick up a book and read for a few minutes each day. I agree that it's interesting to learn what is happening in my brain as I read even a nonacademic book.
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