Researchers from the Center for Languages and Literature at Lund University have found that reading has a positive effect on the functioning of two brain regions - the anterior temporal lobe and the Heschl's gyrus, which is the auditory perception center of the cerebral cortex. The results of their study are published in the journal NeuroImage.
The scientists came to these conclusions after scanning the brains of thousands of volunteers. It revealed important differences in two areas of the left hemisphere of the brain that play a key role in language processing. One of these areas is the anterior temporal lobe, which is responsible for associating and categorizing meanings. In people who prefer reading, this area of the brain appeared to be more voluminous. This increase contributes to a better understanding of words.
The second area is the Heschl's gyrus, which is involved in auditory perception and “phonological awareness” - the ability to hear and verbally manipulate sounds within spoken language. This area also helps to correctly relate letters and sounds, which is important for close reading. The study found that people who read a lot have more myelin in the auditory cortex, which speeds up the transfer of information along nerve fibers.
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