Investigations of neural networks associated with basic reading processes

与基本阅读过程相关的神经网络的研究

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-03992
• 负责人: Cummine, Jacqueline
• 金额: $ 4.23万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=765652
• 关键词: Investigations; neural; networks; associated; basic

Expressing oneself through writing (e.g., email, texting, Facebook, etc.) has become a vital skill in today's society. The experiments to be tested in this grant are designed to advance our knowledge of how the brain is wired to support reading. Strong evidence has been provided to show which brain regions are involved/active during reading. Rather less work has been done to show how the brain regions are linked to other brain regions during reading. Thus, the first goal of the proposal is to get answers to the following questions, "what does the overall brain network look like when people read?" and "how strong are the links between the brain regions while someone reads?". People will read several types of words (e.g., pint vs. bint) while they have their brains scanned. The results will provide us with knowledge about the dynamic nature of the reading network. Next, we know that brain regions talk' to each other through underlying connections (e.g., white matter pathways). So, our second goal is to get answers to the following questions, "how do the pathways relate to speed and accuracy of reading behaviour?" and "how are the pathways related to brain activity that is measured while a person reads?". To address this question, we will measure brain structure (e.g., white matter) and assess structure-behaviour relationships and structure-function relationships. Together, these results will advance our understanding of brain-behaviour relationships in the context of reading. Finally, while reading is quite automatic for most adults, we do not know the extent to which reading skills can overcome, or be impervious, to disruptions. As such, our third goal is to address whether the application of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique temporally disrupts brain regions known to be important for successful reading. To do this, we will scan peoples brains while they read several types of words. We will then take them to a side room and to apply non-invasive stimulation through the scalp for 15 minutes. We will then scan their brains again.The findings from this study will provide us with much needed knowledge around the role that specific brain regions play in reading and to what extent they are necessary for and/or contribute to successful reading. Overall, the results from each of these short term goals are important for researchers, educators, and parents alike as reading skills are necessary to function in today's society where written communication is the primary mode of interaction. Understanding how the brain supports reading would be a major contribution to areas of research focused on literacy, written communication, educational instruction of reading and the various difficulties that arise when impairments in such skills are encountered. Given that literacy skills are requisite to successful communication in many social, academic and occupational contexts the current work is timely and valuable.

通过写作表达自己（例如，电子邮件、短信、Facebook等）已经成为当今社会的一项重要技能。在这项资助中测试的实验旨在提高我们对大脑如何连接以支持阅读的认识。已经提供了强有力的证据来表明在阅读过程中哪些大脑区域参与/活跃。在阅读过程中，大脑区域是如何与其他大脑区域联系在一起的，这方面的工作做得相当少。因此，该提案的第一个目标是回答以下问题：“当人们阅读时，整个大脑网络是什么样子的？以及“阅读时大脑区域之间的联系有多强？".人们会读几种类型的单词（例如，一品脱对一品脱），而他们的大脑扫描。研究结果将为我们提供有关阅读网络动态本质的知识。接下来，我们知道大脑区域通过潜在的连接（例如，白色物质途径）。因此，我们的第二个目标是得到以下问题的答案，“这些通路与阅读行为的速度和准确性有什么关系？以及“当一个人阅读时，大脑活动的相关路径是如何被测量的？”".为了解决这个问题，我们将测量大脑结构（例如，白色物质），并评估结构-行为关系和结构-功能关系。总之，这些结果将促进我们对阅读背景下大脑行为关系的理解。最后，虽然阅读对大多数成年人来说是相当自动的，但我们不知道阅读技能能在多大程度上克服或不受干扰。因此，我们的第三个目标是解决非侵入性脑刺激技术的应用是否会暂时破坏已知对成功阅读重要的大脑区域。为此，我们将在人们阅读几种类型的单词时扫描他们的大脑。然后，我们将把他们带到一个侧室，并通过头皮施加非侵入性刺激15分钟。我们将再次扫描他们的大脑，这项研究的结果将为我们提供关于特定大脑区域在阅读中所扮演的角色以及它们在多大程度上对成功的阅读是必要的和/或有贡献的知识。总的来说，这些短期目标的结果对研究人员、教育工作者和家长都很重要，因为阅读技能在当今社会中是必要的，因为书面交流是主要的互动模式。了解大脑如何支持阅读将是一个重大贡献的研究领域集中在识字，书面交流，阅读的教育指导和各种困难时，出现在这些技能的障碍是遇到。鉴于识字技能是在许多社会、学术和职业环境中成功沟通的必要条件，目前的工作是及时和有价值的。