Cited by 16Reading and Literacy DevelopmentNeurobiology of Language and BilingualismLiteracy and Educational Practices

Universality and language specificity of brain Reading networks: A developmental perspective

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Zhang, Jia., Chen, Jie., Ding, Guosheng.·2024·Developmental Science

Abstract

The development of reading networks across different languages and cultures provides an important window to address gene-culture interactions in brain functionality development. Previous meta-analyses have explored the neural correlates of reading in different languages with diverse orthographic transparencies. However, it remains unknown whether the neural topographic relationship of different languages varies when taking development into account. To address this issue, we conducted meta-analyses of neuroimaging studies with approaches of activation likelihood estimation and seed-based effect size mapping and focused on two highly contrasting languages, Chinese and English. The meta-analyses covered 61 studies of Chinese reading and 64 studies of English reading by native speakers. The brain reading networks of child and adult readers were further separately analyzed and compared to explore the developmental effects. The results revealed that the commonalities and differences in reading networks for Chinese and English were inconsistent between children and adults. In addition, the reading networks converged with development, and the effects of writing systems on brain function organizations were more salient in the initial stages of reading. An interesting finding was that the left inferior parietal lobule demonstrated increased effect sizes in adults compared with children in both Chinese and English reading, indicating a common developmental feature of reading mechanisms across the two languages. These findings provide new insights into the functional evolution and cultural modulation of brain reading networks. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Meta-analyses with approaches of activation likelihood estimation and seed-based effect size mapping were performed to evaluate the developmental characteristics of brain reading networks. The engagement of universal and language-specific reading networks was different between children and adults, and the reading networks converged with increased reading experience. Overall the middle/inferior occipital and inferior/middle frontal gyrus were specific to Chinese and the middle temporal, right inferior frontal gyrus were specific to English. The left inferior parietal lobule was engaged more in adults than children in Chinese and English reading, demonstrating a common developmental feature of reading mechanisms.

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  • Different fronto-posterior regions are engaged during reading depending on the script, alphabetic in English and ideographic in Chinese.

    “Similarly, different fronto-posterior regions are engaged during read ing depending on the script (alphabetic, in English and ideographic, in Chinese). 96”

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Authors
Zhang, J., Chen, J., & Ding, G.
Affiliations
Beijing Normal University (CN)
Corresponding author
Ding, Guosheng.
Venue
Developmental Science
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2023-03-10
Volume
27
Issue
5
Pages
e13379-e13379
ISSN
  • 1363-755X (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-7687
OpenAlex
W4323920755
Cited by
16
References
77
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1
FWCI
0.92
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Developmental Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Natural Science Foundation of China (31971036, 31971039)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Social Sciences › Education › Literacy and Educational Practices
Keywords
reading network, Chinese reading, English reading, orthographic transparency, writing systems, reading development, gene-culture coevolution, inferior parietal lobule, occipital cortex, frontal cortex, temporal cortex, children versus adults
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Child, Humans, Language, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nerve Net, Reading

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