People who are good at reading have different brains

The number of people who read for pleasure in Spain continues to increase. For the first time, the percentage of the population that reads books in their free time exceeds 65%. The data collected in the Barometer of Reading and Book Purchasing Habits in Spain 2024 breaks the myth that young people do not read books: 75.3% of the population between 14 and 24 years old do so in their free time.

But does reading change the mind? Are there changes in the brain structure of good readers? In my new study, published in Neuroimage, the answer to both questions was found, and it is affirmative.

For the research, he analyzed open source data available in the Human Connectome Project from more than 1,000 participants. He found that readers with different abilities have different traits in brain anatomy.

The brain adapts

Clearly, brain structure can tell us a lot about reading skills. However, it is important to note that an organ is malleable: it changes when we learn a new skill or practice an already acquired one.

For example, it was found that young adults who studied languages ​​intensively increased cortical thickness in language areas. Likewise, reading likely shapes the structure of the left Heschl's gyrus and temporal lobe. So, if you want to keep your Heschl's gyrus thick and thriving, grab a good book and start reading.

Finally, it's worth considering what might happen to us as a species if skills like reading lose priority. Our ability to interpret the world around us and understand the minds of others would surely diminish. That cozy moment with a book on the couch is not just something personal, it could provide a service to humanity.