Open AccessReading skill is related to individual differences in brain structure in college students
Author(s) -
Welcome Suzanne E.,
Chiarello Christine,
Thompson Paul M.,
Sowell Elizabeth R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
human brain mapping
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.005
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1097-0193
pISSN - 1065-9471
DOI - 10.1002/hbm.21101
Subject(s) - psychology , reading comprehension , hum , comprehension , decoding methods , reading (process) , cognitive psychology , brain morphometry , phonology , linguistics , magnetic resonance imaging , computer science , medicine , telecommunications , philosophy , radiology , art , performance art , art history
Abstract We compared cortical anatomy, using 3D brain MRI scans, between three groups of university students: proficient readers (skilled at phonological decoding and text comprehension), poor readers (impaired at phonological decoding and text comprehension), and resilient readers (impaired at phonological decoding but skilled in text comprehension). This latter group provides a unique opportunity to investigate associations between cortical morphology and phonological decoding deficits in individuals without attendant reading comprehension deficits. We predicted widespread reductions in gray matter thickness and brain size in temporal and frontal regions in poor readers, and more focal differences in brain morphology in resilient readers. Typical asymmetry of gray matter thickness in the temporo‐parietal region was reduced in both poor and resilient readers. Poor readers also exhibited smaller brain sizes in the right inferior frontal region than both proficient and resilient readers. Altered asymmetry in the temporo‐parietal region may therefore be associated with poor phonological decoding and impaired text comprehension may be associated with altered frontal morphology. Resilient readers show relatively focal behavioral differences from typical readers, so it is interesting that they show reliable differences in brain morphology. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.