Reading Program Rewires Dyslexic Brains
A peer-reviewed study led by Stanford University found that an evidence-based reading intervention can physically rewire the brains of children with dyslexia. The research, published in *Nature Communications*, confirmed that a specific program improves both reading skills and strengthens brain circuitry associated with reading.
The reading intervention used in the study was the Seeing Stars® program from Lindamood-Bell, which focuses on developing "symbol imagery"—the ability to visualize letters in words. This intensive program was administered to 44 children with dyslexia for a total of 80 to 120 hours over eight weeks, often involving one-on-one or small group sessions for one to four hours daily. The study, led by Stanford's Dr. Jason Yeatman, a specialist in the neurobiology of literacy, used functional MRI scans to observe brain changes. After the eight-week intervention, children showed an average improvement of nearly one full grade level in their reading abilities. Brain imaging revealed that the intervention specifically targeted and grew the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA), a region in the brain's left hemisphere crucial for recognizing words and letters. In many children with dyslexia, this area is initially smaller or less active compared to that of typical readers. While the reading improvements were significant, follow-up scans a year later showed that some neurological differences remained. Children who received the intervention retained their improved reading skills, but their VWFA still appeared different from those of children without dyslexia, suggesting the brain adapts rather than completely normalizes.
