Write to read: the brain's universal reading and writing network

Charles A Perfetti; Li-Hai Tan

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2012.12.008

Write to read: the brain's universal reading and writing network

Trends Cogn Sci. 2013 Feb;17(2):56-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2012.12.008.

Authors

Charles A Perfetti¹, Li-Hai Tan

Affiliation

¹ Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA. perfetti@pitt.edu

PMID: 23357712
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2012.12.008

Abstract

Do differences in writing systems translate into differences in the brain's reading network? Or is this network universal, relatively impervious to variation in writing systems? A new study adds intriguing evidence to these questions by showing that reading handwritten words activates a pre-motor area across writing systems.

MeSH terms

Brain / physiology*
Humans
Neural Pathways / physiology
Reading*
Writing*