Stanford Study Finds Reading Program Rewires 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 Lindamood-Bell's Seeing Stars program improves reading skills and strengthens brain circuitry associated with reading.
The study, a six-year collaboration between Stanford University, the University of Washington, and Lindamood-Bell, was a randomized controlled trial involving 87 children aged 7 to 13. Forty-four children with dyslexia received eight weeks of intensive, one-on-one instruction using the Seeing Stars program, while a control group of 43 children with and without dyslexia did not receive the intervention. Researchers used functional MRI scans up to five times over a year to monitor brain activity. The primary focus was on the Visual Word Form Area (VWFA), a brain region critical for fluent word recognition that is typically smaller or less responsive in individuals with dyslexia. In fact, at the study's outset, researchers could only detect the VWFA in fewer than two-thirds of the children with dyslexia. After eight weeks of the specialized instruction, the children with dyslexia improved their reading levels by nearly one grade level on average. Brain imaging revealed that the VWFA grew in size and became more detectable in the children who received the intervention. The control group that did not receive the instruction showed no similar changes in brain structure or reading skill. "It's as if evidence-based intervention builds this region in the dyslexic brain," stated lead researcher Dr. Jason Yeatman of Stanford University. While the growth was significant, researchers noted that some neurological differences remained a year later, suggesting dyslexia involves enduring brain traits alongside the brain's proven capacity for change.
