PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Learning to read requires the specialization of a region in the left fusiform gyrus known as the visual word form area (VWFA). This region, which initially responds to faces and objects, develops specificity for print over a long trajectory of instruction and practice. VWFA neurons may be primed for print because of their pre-literate tuning properties, becoming specialized through top-down feedback mechanisms during learning. However, much of what is known about the VWFA comes from studies of Western orthographies, whose alphabets share common visual characteristics. Far less is known about the development of the VWFA for Arabic, which is a complex orthography and is significantly more difficult to achieve fluency in in reading. In the current study, electroencephalography responses were collected from first grade children in the United Arab Emirates learning to read in both English and Arabic. Children viewed words and false font strings in English and Arabic while performing a vigilance task. The P1 and N1 responses to all stimulus categories were quantified in two occipital and two parietal electrodes as well as the alpha band signal across all four electrodes of interest. Analysis revealed a significantly stronger N1 response to English compared to Arabic and decreased alpha power to Arabic compared to English. These findings suggest a fundamental difference in neural plasticity for these two distinct orthographies, even when instruction is concurrent. Future work is needed to determine whether VWFA specialization for Arabic takes longer than more well-studied orthographies and if differences in reading instruction approaches help accelerate this process.
摘要：
学习阅读需要对左梭状回的区域进行专业化，称为视觉单词形式区域（VWFA）。这个地区,最初对面部和物体做出反应，在漫长的教学和实践轨迹上发展打印的特殊性。VWFA神经元可能因为其文字前的调谐特性而准备打印，在学习过程中通过自上而下的反馈机制变得专业化。然而,关于VWFA的大部分知识来自西方拼字法的研究，其字母具有共同的视觉特征。人们对阿拉伯语VWFA的发展知之甚少，这是一个复杂的拼字法，在阅读方面要达到流利程度要困难得多。在目前的研究中,收集了阿拉伯联合酋长国一年级学习英语和阿拉伯语阅读的儿童的脑电图反应.孩子们在执行警惕任务时查看英语和阿拉伯语的单词和虚假字体字符串。在两个枕骨和两个顶叶电极中量化对所有刺激类别的P1和N1响应以及在所有四个感兴趣电极上的α带信号。分析显示，与阿拉伯语相比，N1对英语的反应明显更强，而与英语相比，阿拉伯语的α功率降低。这些发现表明，这两种不同的正字法在神经可塑性方面存在根本差异，即使指令是并发的。需要进一步的工作来确定阿拉伯语的VWFA专业化是否比经过充分研究的拼字法花费更长的时间，以及阅读教学方法的差异是否有助于加速这一过程。
