Emerging Neurophysiological Specialization for Letter Strings

  • Authors:

  • Urs Maurer;Silvia Brem;Kerstin Bucher;Daniel Brandeis

  • Affiliations:

  • Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland;Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland;Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland;Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Zurich, Switzerland

  • Venue:
  • Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

In adult readers, printed words and other letter strings activate specialized visual functions within 200 msec, as evident from neurophysiological recordings of brain activity. These fast, specialized responses to letter strings are thought to develop through plastic changes in the visual system. However, it is unknown whether this specialization emerges only with the onset of word reading, or represents a precursor of literacy. We compared 6-year-old kindergarten children who could not yet read words to adult readers. Both age groups detected immediate repetitions of visually presented words, pseudowords, symbol strings, and pictures during event-related potential (ERP) mapping. Maps from seven corresponding ERP segments in children and adults were analyzed regarding fast (300 msec) specialization for letter strings. Adults reliably differentiated words through increased fast (