1st part
Aim: Describe the relationship between structural and functional properties of the brain within the context of reading and vision. We collected functional (MEG) and structural (diffusion MRI) brain measures of 38 healthy individuals (English native speakers) to test whether white matter properties of the brain can predict electrophysiological measures recorded on the scalp.
Results: Within the context of vision, we could observe a structural-functional relationship of brain properties. Specifically, the structural integrity of visual white matter fibers (fractional anisotropy of the left and right optic radiations) predict the latency of electrophysiological responses measured on the scalp (i.e. M100 half-peak latency). Within the context of language, we could not observe a clear relationship between structural properties of white matter (fractional anisotropy of arcuate fasciculus or inferior longitudinal fasciculus) and language-related evoked responses (i.e. latency or amplitude of the M170/M400 in response to words). This might suggest that the language circuitry involves highly interactive top-down and bottom-up effects that make the detection of structural-functional correspondences more challenging.
2nd part
Aim: Characterize the relationship between structural and functional properties while normal developing children learn to read. We collected behavioural (language and reading skills), functional (MEG and fMRI) and structural (diffusion MRI) brain measures of 48 healthy children (5-6 year old English native speakers) to test whether white matter properties of the brain can predict functional brain responses while children learn to read. The data were collected longitudinally before and after the participants went through an intensive reading program.
Results: We are still analysing the data for this part of the project. Preliminary results of the behavioural and diffusion MRI data showed that (A) children improved their reading skills thanks to the training (B) we could observe some relationship between structural properties of white matter pathways (e.g. mean diffusivity of left uncinate) and children’s linguistic skills (i.e. accuracy at a phoneme matching task). Dr. Caffarra is planning to analyze the corresponding MEG data and try to relate it with diffusion properties of white matter.
General results, exploitation, dissemination: This project led to a new understanding of the coupling between neural anatomy and functional mechanisms of the visual brain network. These findings were presented to events for general and scientific audience; an open web-browser has been published based on the project findings; 6 papers related to this topic have been published (Journal or Neuroscience, Scientific Reports, Brain and Language, Aperture, Human Brain Mapping, Brain Structure and Function). The project spread general knowledge on reading brain mechanisms through multiple outreach activities (general talks, press releases, public posts on social media). The scientific advances achieved with the project resulted in the proposal of a new theoretical model on the reading brain circuitry (see attached figure), which can be the starting point to better understand structural and functional neural basis of reading.
