“The habit of spending time with a book is not just personal pleasure”: An important discovery by scientists
What does the decline in reading mean for humans as a species? Could our preference for video over text change brain structure or even evolution? A recent study sheds light on these questions by demonstrating how reading is connected to brain anatomy, Ukr.Media reports.
Analyzing data from over a thousand participants, researchers found that reading ability correlates with brain structure, especially in two key areas of the left hemisphere that are responsible for language.
One is the front part of the temporal lobe, called the left temporal pole. This area helps integrate and categorize different types of information. For example, to understand the word “leg,” the brain associates visual, sensory, and motor images, meaning it mentally visualizes how a leg looks, feels, and moves.
Another area is Heschl’s gyrus, part of the temporal lobe of the brain. It contains the auditory cortex and is involved in the perception of sounds. The study showed that in people who read a lot, the anterior part of the temporal lobe in the left hemisphere is noticeably larger than in the right. This makes sense: the larger the area of the brain that is involved in the semantic processing of text, the easier it is to understand words and read.
However, the connection between the auditory cortex and reading may seem less obvious. Isn't reading primarily a visual skill? In fact, associating letters with speech sounds requires awareness of speech sounds. This is called phonological awareness, which is an important stage in children's reading development.
Thinness in the left Heschl's gyrus has previously been linked to dyslexia, a disorder that causes severe reading difficulties. But the new study suggests that the link is more complex. People with better reading skills had thicker Heschl's gyrus in their left hemisphere, which correlated with their ability to perform language tasks.
It is worth noting that the anatomy of the brain is plastic and can change under the influence of learning. For example, in young people who intensively study a language, the thickness of the cortex in the language areas increased. Regular reading also helps to change the structure of the brain, in particular its temporal lobe and Heschl's gyrus.
This data raises an important question: How does changing reading habits affect us as a species? If reading skills lose their importance, our ability to interpret the world around us and understand other people could decline markedly.
The habit of spending time with a book is not just a personal pleasure, but a contribution to the development of the potential of all humanity. Reading enriches not only an individual person, but also the entire society, stimulating the brain, developing empathy and strengthening our ability to communicate. Every book read is a step towards a more developed and meaningful life.
Джерело: Source
