Introduction: Executive functions (EF) are cognitive processes supporting language and reading. Children with dyslexia show reading difficulties primarily due to phonological processing, with additional reported deficits in EF. This study aimed to determine the differences in EF involvement during written (reading) versus oral language (narrative) comprehension in children with dyslexia versus typical readers neurobiologically and behaviorally. Methods: Reading, language, and EF behavioral measures and functional MRI data were collected from 55 typical readers (TR) and 65 English-speaking children with dyslexia ages 8–12 years during reading and narrative comprehension tasks. Differences within and between functional connectivity of EF and attention networks were calculated and then compared between groups and tasks using Fisher Z-transformation. Results: Children with dyslexia showed higher functional connectivity values in EF and attention networks in both reading and narrative comprehension tasks, whereas TR showed higher functional connectivity in narrative versus reading comprehension. Within groups, analysis showed higher functional connectivity within dorsal attention functional brain network (DAN) and between DAN-fronto-parietal (FP), cingulo-opercular (CO)-FP, and ventral attention functional brain network (VAN)-DAN, in the reading versus narrative comprehension task in the dyslexia group. TR showed higher functional connectivity within VAN, and between VAN-FP in the narrative compared to the reading comprehension tasks. Discussion: Children with dyslexia seem to greatly utilize EF and attention-related networks in narrative and reading comprehension tasks and demonstrate a greater network integration for the written versus oral comprehension task. TR, however, utilize these networks only during oral comprehension, which may point to a greater reliance on memory and processing effort in the absence of written information.

Background

Caregivers shape children’s reading abilities and neural networks. While joint reading is well-studied, the impact of parental storytelling on reading-related networks (executive function [EF], attention, sensory processing) before and at the early stages of reading acquisition remains unclear. This study examines whether parental storytelling differentially influences these networks compared to an experimenter’s narration.

Methods

Twenty-four Hebrew-speaking children (5.0–7.11 years; six females) and their parents participated. Pre-literacy and cognitive skills were assessed, and parents completed cognitive control and language questionnaires. Functional MRI data were collected as children listened to their parent narrate a picture-book story and an experimenter read an age-matched story. Functional connectivity within and between attention, EF, language, and sensory networks was analyzed and correlated with behavioral measures.

Results

Parental storytelling elicited stronger connectivity across all networks. Increased EF, attention, and sensory network connectivity correlated positively with book exposure and negatively with reading hours. Stronger sensory processing connectivity during parental narration was linked to better pre-literacy skills. Enhanced audiovisual integration correlated with home literacy, pre-literacy, and later reading abilities.

Conclusions

Parental storytelling engages reading-related networks, supporting pre-literacy and future reading skills beyond exposure to an unfamiliar reader.

Impact

The literature in the field of parent-child interaction and language development repeatedly points to the benefit of book reading to the child with respect to language development.

However, whether there is a particular benefit specifically for parental reading is unknown and whether the child’s brain is stimulated differently when the parent is reading a book (vs an experimenter) is also unknown.

Our results show that parental reading engages brain regions related to cognitive abilities, attention, language abilities and future reading skills in children even prior to reading age. Parental reading is important for the development of these brain regions.

Abstract. Reading difficulty (RD; dyslexia) is a developmental condition with neurological origins and persistent academic consequences. Children with RD often show deficits in audiovisual integration (AVI) and executive functions. Visual rhythmic reading training (RRT) has been associated with improvements in these domains, but it remains unclear whether such effects generalize to the resting-state brain activity. English-speaking children aged 8–12 years, including typical readers (TRs) and children with RD, were randomly assigned to an 8-week visual RRT or control math training group. Reading assessments and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected before and after the intervention. Functional connectivity (FC) analyses examined AVI and its interaction with frontoparietal–cingulo-opercular (FP-CO) cognitive control networks during rest. Following RRT, children with RD showed significant improvements in reading fluency. The RRT group also demonstrated greater changes in AVI, which were associated with increased FC between FP-CO networks and sensory regions during the resting state. RRT improves reading performance and promotes enhanced integration between sensory and executive networks in children with RD, even in the absence of task demands. These findings support the role of RRT in fostering domain-general neuroplasticity beyond reading-specific contexts.Author Summary. Rhythmic reading training (RRT) improves reading performance and promotes enhanced integration between sensory and executive networks in children with reading difficulties, even in the absence of task demands. These findings support the role of RRT in fostering domain-general neuroplasticity beyond reading-specific contexts.

The quality of parent–child interaction during shared reading (“shared reading quality”) is strongly linked to cognitive and relational benefits. However, the relationship between shared reading quality and activation and synchronization of reading-related brain networks has not yet been characterized. The current study involved 22 4-year-old girls who completed functional MRI including a validated stories listening task, and a primary parent. Prior to MRI, video observation of the parent and child reading together was conducted and later coded using a standardized scoring form quantifying parent–child verbal and nonverbal interaction. Behavioral measures included demographics and a maternal depression scale. To achieve this goal, fMRI stories-listening data was utilized to create a diffusion maps algorithm and then to classify the level of parent–child interaction during the shared reading observation. The algorithm clustered children with higher parent–child engagement scores with fMRI diffusion patterns in regions of the brain known to support reading. This study establishes proof-of-concept that applying this diffusion maps algorithm to brain functional connectivity data can reliably predict parent–child interaction during shared book reading. It also suggests that an algorithmic approach may be a novel, data-driven means to quantify parent–child interaction in different contexts (e.g., reading, play) and populations.

The ability to integrate information from the auditory and visual sensory systems, also referred to as audiovisual integration (and as synchronization), is important for reading fluency. Several studies have pointed to atypical synchronization of the auditory and visual systems in individuals with reading difficulties, which in turn may help to explain their dysfluent reading and have been supported by neuroimaging evidence. This inefficient synchronization between the modalities has also been thought to be attributed to top-down (executive functions) and bottom-up (print characteristics) processes. Interestingly, a rhythmic reading training manipulation seems to be effective in enhancing this audiovisual integration (or synchronization) by triggering executive functions in affected readers and improving their reading fluency. Here we discuss the theories that underlie audiovisual integration (or synchronization), executive functions, the connections to reading fluency, and provide an overview of the literature related to neuroimaging of visual versus auditory-based rhythmic reading training.

Children with Self-limited Epilepsy with Centro-Temporal Spikes (SeLECTS) display deficits in both listening and reading comprehension, as well as in executive functions (EF). The aim of the current study was to investigate differences in EF involvement during listening and reading comprehension in children with SeLECTS (ages 8-15 years, n=17), and compare findings to age-matched children with reading difficulties (RD, n=16) and to typical readers (TR, n=38). Functional connectivity of sensory and EF-related networks supporting both listening and reading comprehension was determined based on a resting-state fMRI scan. Behavioral data included both reading and EF testing batteries. Behavioral and functional connectivity within and between networks were compared between study groups. Children with SeLECTS achieved near normal scores in reading comprehension, but achieved below-normal scores in listening comprehension. Yet, engagement of EF networks during was decreased compared to both control groups. On the other hand, during listening comprehension, children with SeLECTS engaged EF and sensory networks in a fashion similar to the RD group, and to a lesser extent than typical readers. Children with SeLECTS performed worse than both control groups in phonemic awareness and in two EF-related abilities - speed of processing and visual attention. Children with SeLECTS display a unique pattern of language impairments that is more evident during listening comprehension. Yet, underlying functional connectivity of EF-related networks shows findings that are inconsistent in comparison to children with RD or TR. These may represent different strategies for performing linguistic tasks.

This study aimed to determine the involvement of neural circuits associated with executive functions (EF) during Hebrew reading in its two forms, deep and shallow, on a word and contextual level in children. Functional MRI data was collected employing 49 8-12-year-old Hebrew-speaking children performing the n-back task. Functional connectivity within and between EF networks (i.e. the cingulo-opercular; CO and fronto-parietal; FP networks) was calculated and included in prediction models for single word as well as contextual reading measures on a deep and shallow orthographic level. Working memory was positively associated with single word reading in Hebrew-speaking children. Functional connectivity between CO-FP networks better predicted deep orthography reading in single word reading compared to shallow orthography. Results highlight the utilisation of EF networks during the deep form of Hebrew in single word reading.

The expanded Simple View of Reading model suggests language processing and word reading as contributors to reading comprehension and points at the participation of executive functions as supporting these abilities. Switching and inhibition are both executive functions (EF) contributing to reading, especially in languages with two writing systems—shallow and deep, such as Hebrew. Here, we aimed to determine the specific role of switching/inhibition both cognitively and neurobiologically in the Simple View of Reading model among 49 eight- to 12-year-old Hebrew-speaking children. Children underwent reading and cognitive behavioural testing as well as a five-min resting-state fMRI scan. Functional connectivity of the fronto-parietal network related to switching/inhibition was determined and included in a moderation model. Results suggest that both switching/inhibition abilities and functional connectivity within the fronto-parietal network moderate the relations between word reading and reading comprehension. This strengthens the contribution of switching/inhibition to facilitating reading comprehension and supports the need to include it as part of the expanded SVR model.

Aim The differences between parent–child joint attention while reading together from a screen versus from a paper are unknown. The current study aimed to determine if parent–child brains synchronise differently during screen-based versus printed paper-based, in other words, a book reading. Methods The study was carried out in 2022 in Israel. Cohorts were recruited via posted ads. Cognitive and behavioural measures were assessed using standardised tests. In addition, two reading sessions were administered by the parent, one on the screen and another using a book, while electroencephalograph data captured their brain synchronisation. The difference in brain synchronisation between the conditions was correlated with behavioural measures. Results Of the 49 parent–child pairs age 3.94 years ± 0.751; 24 females who participated in language-based tasks for this study, electroencephalograph data from 11 dyads showed a higher brain-to-brain synchronisation during printed-based reading compared to screen-based reading was found and associated with the child's verbal and cognitive abilities. Conclusion Printed-paper reading fosters a higher parent–child neural synchronisation and cognitive engagement compared to screen-based reading.

Objective:Reading difficulties (RD) frequently co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children with both RD + ADHD often demonstrate greater challenges in reading and executive functions (EF) than those with RD-only.Methods:This study examined the effect of a 4-week EF-based reading intervention on behavioral and neurobiological correlates of EF among 8–12 y.o. English-speaking children with RD + ADHD (n = 19), RD-only (n = 18), and typically developing children (n = 18). Behavioral and resting-state fMRI data were collected from all participants before and after 4 weeks of the EF-based reading computerized program. Group (RD + ADHD, RD-only, typical readers) x Test (pre- and post-intervention) repeated measures ANOVAs were conducted for reading, EF, and brain functional connectivity (FC) measures.Results:Across groups, reading (fluency, comprehension) and EF (inhibition, speed of processing) behavioral performance improved following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed significant gains in reading comprehension, whereas inhibition improved in both RD groups, but not among typical readers. Furthermore, across groups, FC between the frontoparietal (FP) and cingulo-opercular (CO) networks decreased following the intervention. Exploratory subgroup comparisons revealed that children with RD + ADHD, but not RD-only, showed a significant decrease in FC of FP-CO and FP-dorsal attention network.Conclusions:These results support the differential response to an EF-based reading intervention of children with RD with and without comorbid ADHD at brain and behavioral levels.