Association of Neural Activities in Language Processing and Memory with Rapid Reading

Abstract

Objectives To elucidate physiological changes in the brain caused by rapid reading, we herein focused on brain areas related to language processing and reading comprehension and memory processes and evaluated changes in neural activities associated with reading speed and comprehension using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Materials This study included 23 nonrapid and 23 rapid readers matched for age, gender, and handedness. T1 weighted image and fMRI were acquired using 3T MRI.

Methods The neural activity was compared between nonrapid and rapid readers using fMRI. The correlation between neural activity and reading speed and comprehension was also determined.

Results The neural activities of rapid readers were significantly lower in Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas, left angular and supramarginal gyri, and hippocampus. Furthermore, reading speed was negatively correlated with neural activities in these areas. Conversely, reading comprehension was negatively correlated with the neural activities in the left angular gyrus.

Conclusions Rapid readers exhibited reduced language processing, including phonological transformation, analysis, inner speech, semantic and syntactic processes, and constant reading comprehension during rapid reading.