#Cognitive_science

A comprehensive meta-analysis from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences maps how the brain processes written language. By reviewing 163 brain-imaging studies, researchers identify distinct brain regions activated at different reading levels—from letters to full texts. The work, summarized in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, offers insights with implications for education, mental health, and literacy initiatives in Thailand and beyond.

For Thailand, literacy is a cornerstone of development. National policies emphasize reading proficiency as a driver of social mobility and economic opportunity. Yet functional literacy remains uneven, especially in rural areas and among learners with difficulties. Understanding how the brain decodes written language can guide new strategies to support diverse learners and close gaps in access and achievement.

A new meta-analysis by the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences offers the most detailed understanding to date of how our brains process written language—a development with profound implications for education, mental health, and addressing literacy challenges in Thailand and worldwide. Published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, the study summarizes decades of neuroscience research, analyzing data from 163 brain imaging studies to construct a highly detailed map of the brain regions activated during different types of reading tasks, from letters and words to sentences and passages.