Reading and the Brain

Reading and the Brain

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Articles, Reading

Have you ever wondered how we recognise words when we read? Are you not fascinated as to how your brain scans, interprets and relates information to you through your eyes? The awesome brain is like your virtual assistant or secretary. In this article I am to discuss about reading and the brain.  Various sources have been referred to and are quoted for further reading. Lets Dive In.

Reading reshapes the brain through neural plasticity, creating and strengthening connections, particularly in language and visual areas. This process involves the brain repurposing areas for visual processing and language to recognize letters, sound out words, and understand meaning. Regular reading improves brain connectivity and function, while also offering benefits like stress reduction, improved focus, and memory enhancement

What reading does for the brain
  • Improves Brain Function: Reading is a form of mental stimulation that can improve memory and language skills, especially when done regularly.
  • Changes Brain Structure: As reading skills develop, the brain physically changes. Areas that weren’t previously used for reading become more activated, and neural pathways are strengthened through practice.
  • Enhances Vocabulary: Reading provides context for new words, helping you learn their usage more quickly than through simple memorization
What is the Brain

The brain is a complex organ that acts as the control center of the body, located inside the skull and protected by the cranium. It is part of the central nervous system, along with the spinal cord, and its main functions include processing sensory information, controlling thoughts, emotions, movement, and regulating vital processes like breathing and heart rate. The brain is composed of billions of nerve cells (neurons) and consists of three main parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem

How reading changes the brain

Repurposing brain areas: The brain is not pre-wired for reading; instead, it adapts areas for visual processing, language comprehension, and speech production.

Structural changes: Frequent reading can increase the size of areas like the temporal cortex, which is involved in language comprehension, and strengthen white matter tracts that connect language and visual processing centers.

Neural pathways: As a person learns to read, the brain creates specialized neural pathways, such as the “letterbox” (visual word form area), to process written words quickly and automatically.

Neuroplasticity: Reading actively exercises the brain, leading to enhanced neuroplasticity and a more adaptable neural network

 

How the brain learns to read
  1. Visual Recognition: You see letters and words, and the occipital lobe processes this visual input.
  2. Letter and Sound Mapping: The brain’s “letterbox” identifies the letters. This triggers activity in the parietal-temporal regions, which connects letters to their corresponding sounds.
  3. Meaning Connection: The brain links the sounds to the meaning of the word, a process that relies on networks for spoken language.
  4. Developing Fluency: Through practice, the brain creates a direct connection from the letterbox to the meaning area, allowing for faster processing and more fluent reading.
  5. Instruction’s Role: Explicitly teaching letter-sound correspondences (like systematic phonics) strengthens these neural pathways, making it easier for the brain to build these connections and improve reading skills
Brain regions involved in reading

Occipital Lobe: Initially processes visual information. As you read, it’s involved in recognizing letters and symbols, and the visual cortex here is active even in skilled readers.

Parietal-Temporal Regions: Crucial for decoding words. The parietal lobe helps segment words into their component sounds (phonological processing), while the temporal lobe connects sounds to the meaning of words, often linked with Wernicke’s area.

Frontal Lobe: The inferior frontal gyrus contains Broca’s area, which is important for the production of speech and can be used to “sound out” words.

Orthographic Processor (“Letterbox”): A region in the occipital-temporal area that becomes specialized for recognizing printed words. It stores information about a word’s spelling, pronunciation, and meaning

 

Health and cognitive benefits of reading
  • Mental stimulation: Reading keeps the brain active, which can help slow cognitive decline associated with aging.
  • Stress reduction: Engaging in a book can lower heart rate and ease muscle tension.
  • Improved focus: Regular reading can improve concentration and attention span.
  • Memory improvement: Reading has been linked to slowing memory deterioration and improving memory and thinking skills.
  • Vocabulary expansion: Reading is one of the most effective ways to learn new words
References

Havard Medical School

https://hms.harvard.edu/news-events/publications-archive/brain/reading-brain

Reading Rockets

https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/how-children-learn-read/reading-brain

National Institutes of Health

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4128180/

How Reading Improves Your intellect

How Reading Improves Your intellect

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Articles, Reading

Reading improves your intellect by enhancing cognitive abilities like memory, focus, and critical thinking through the creation of new neural pathways. It also expands your vocabulary, boosts knowledge, and develops comprehension, allowing for better communication and a more nuanced understanding of the world. 

Cognitive and brain function
Strengthens brain connections: Reading creates new neural pathways and strengthens existing ones, improving your brain’s efficiency and processing power.

Boosts memory: As you follow plots and recall details, you create and strengthen memories, which improves both short-term and long-term memory functions.

Increases focus and concentration: Following a story requires sustained attention, which trains your brain to focus and improves your concentration over time.

Enhances critical thinking: Reading exposes you to new ideas and different perspectives, which stimulates your ability to analyze information and think critically

Knowledge and communication

Expands vocabulary: Exposure to a wide range of words in context naturally increases your vocabulary, leading to better verbal and written communication skills.

Increases knowledge: Each book you read adds to your general knowledge base, providing information on a vast number of subjects.

Improves comprehension: The act of processing information from text helps you better understand complex ideas and the main points of a text.

Imagination and empathy
Develops creativity and imagination: Reading allows your mind to visualize settings and characters, which stimulates imagination and creative thinking.

Builds empathy: Reading stories can activate the same parts of the brain used when understanding another person’s emotions, helping you to develop empathy.

The Power of Intellect

The Power of Intellect

by | Nov 17, 2025 | Articles, Reading

The power of intellect is the ability to think, reason, and understand, which allows for problem-solving, innovation, and navigating complex situations. It involves using knowledge and logic to make considered decisions, acting as a crucial regulator that guides actions based on evaluation rather than mere impulse. This capacity for higher-order thinking and generalization enables abstract thought, the creation of complex ideas, and the ability to simplify complex problems

What is Intellect?

Intellect is the human ability to think, reason, understand, and acquire knowledge, especially at a high level. It encompasses reasoning, abstraction, conceptualization, judgment, and critical thinking, allowing a person to discern truth and falsehood and solve complex problems. In a broader sense, a person with great intellectual power can be called an intellect. 

Definitions of Intellect
  • Intelllect is defined as the faculty of reasoning and understanding objectively, especially with regard to abstract matter
  • a : the power of knowing as distinguished from the power to feel and to will : the capacity for knowledge
  • b : the capacity for rational or intelligent thought especially when highly developed.  Miriam Webster
    the ability to understand and to think in an intelligent way
  • Intellect is a faculty of the human mind that enables reasoning, abstraction, conceptualization, and judgment. Wikipedia

Understanding the Power of the Intellect

The mind generates thoughts—images, ideas, goals, and concepts. But the intellect discerns which of those thoughts are worth acting upon. If the mind is like a screen displaying possibilities, then the intellect is the “eye” that watches, assesses, and decides.

Unlike animals, human beings can reflect, evaluate, and refine ideas. This isn’t about academic intelligence. It’s about discernment, creativity, and the ability to simplify complex problems. Our greatest intellectual gift may be the ability to return complexity to its essence.

COTRUGLI BUSINESS SCHOOL

Key aspects of intellect
Mental faculty: 

It is the mind’s power to know and understand, distinct from the power to feel or will 

Higher-order thinking: 
It includes the capacity for rational thought, abstraction, and complex problem-solving that goes beyond immediate perception.
Knowledge acquisition:

It is the ability to think and acquire knowledge, often associated with intelligence, creativity, and critical thinking skills. 

Application: 

An intellect is a person possessing a high degree of this mental capacity. 

Lifelong development: 
Intellect can be developed and enhanced through education, experience, and reflection.

In psychology

The Structure of Intellect (SI) model organizes intellectual functions in three dimensions: (i) Operations, (ii) Contents, and (iii) Products.

A person’s intellectual understanding of reality derives from a conceptual model of reality based upon the perception and the cognition of the material world of reality. The conceptual model of mind is composed of the mental and emotional processes by which a person seeks, finds, and applies logical solutions to the problems of life.

Core functions of intellect
  • Problem-solving and innovation: Intellect provides the ability to identify challenges, analyze them critically, and devise creative solutions.
  • Discernment: It allows for the evaluation of thoughts and ideas generated by the mind, discerning which are worth pursuing.
  • Regulating impulses: Intellect serves as a regulator to control impulses and desires, leading to more thoughtful actions instead of impulsive ones.
  • Abstract reasoning: It is the faculty that allows humans to work with abstract terms, draw conclusions from assumptions, and generalize experiences.
  • Critical judgment: Intellect enables the discernment of truth and falsehood, as well as higher-order thinking beyond immediate perception. 

 

Developing intellect

Real-world experience: Real-world experience is crucial for intellectual development, as it provides understanding of reality and helps in learning to resolve life’s problems without being overwhelmed by emotion.

Acquiring knowledge: A factually accurate understanding of the world is a key component of a mature intellect.

Collaboration: The historical and modern norm for intellectual work is often collaboration, as seen in scientific and artistic endeavors, where people work together to create something.

How to cultivate intellectual power
  • Continuous learning: Engaging in self-education is an effective way to stimulate and nurture the intellect.
  • Creative outlets: Activities like writing, painting, or playing music can spark inspiration and enhance mental health.
  • Social connection: Forming connections with others who share your interests can be crucial for mental wellness. 

Reading and Intellect

Reading is strongly linked to intellect, as it enhances both fluid and crystallized intelligence by building knowledge and improving brain function through neural pathway development. It strengthens vocabulary and comprehension, increases problem-solving skills, and fosters emotional intelligence. While reading can improve intelligence, the ability to read itself is a separate skill from general intelligence, as some individuals with superior intellect may struggle with specific reading challenges like dyslexia

How reading improves intellect

Increases knowledge and vocabulary: Reading exposes you to new terms, ideas, and facts, increasing your crystallized intelligence.

Enhances problem-solving: It helps you detect patterns and make connections, boosting your fluid intelligence.

Develops the brain: Reading creates new neural pathways and strengthens existing ones, leading to clearer and more creative thinking.

Boosts emotional intelligence: Engaging with stories and characters helps you understand and manage emotions, leading to better social interactions.

Improves reading skills: It strengthens skills like phonological awareness, which is the ability to reason about the sounds in language, and improves reading speed and fluency

 

The relationship between reading and intelligence
  • Reading is a learned skill that relies on repurposing specific brain regions for processing language and recognizing letters.
  • Studies show that reading ability is a significant predictor of later intelligence, especially verbal intelligence.
  • However, some individuals with high general intelligence may face difficulties with reading, a condition known as a specific reading disability or dyslexia, demonstrating that reading ability and intelligence are not identical. 

    Research on Reading

    According to an article on the BigThink website,  Research shows that reading not only helps with fluid intelligence, but with reading comprehension and emotional intelligence as well.

    Click here to Read the article

    References

     – The paradoxical relationship between intelligence and reading disability

    P G Aaron

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4094867/

     – How reading rewires your brain for higher intelligence and empathy

    Derek Beres Bigthink

     – Cotrugli Business School

    Professor Mike George

    https://cotrugli.org/the-mind-and-intellect

    Best-selling Books on Amazon in 2024

    Best-selling Books on Amazon in 2024

    by | Nov 12, 2025 | Articles, Authors, Book Reviews, Books, Reading

    The Best Selling Books on Amazon in 2024

    1. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

    Amazon-UK-2024-top-ten-books-Inlines-THE-HOUSEMAID

    Freida McFadden’s gripping psychological thriller follows a live-in housemaid whose seemingly perfect job hides dark secrets. With shocking twists and chilling revelations, it keeps readers on edge until the final page.

    2. It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

    It ends with us

    Colleen Hoover’s BookTok sensation It Ends With Us, released as a film adaptation this year, is a novel that explores the complexities of love, resilience, and breaking cycles of abuse. Through the protagonist Lily Bloom’s journey, it delivers a powerful message about self-worth and the courage it takes to choose a better path.

    3. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J Maas

    A court of thorns and roses

    In A Court of Thornes and Roses, Sarah J. Maas reimagines classic fairy tales with a dark and seductive twist. Main character Feyre navigates the dangerous world of the Fae, uncovering love, betrayal, and the power within herself to change her fate.

    4. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover

    Its starts with us

    The heartfelt sequel to It Ends With Us is packed with emotion and hope as Hoover dives deeper into Lily’s journey. It Starts With Us navigates healing, love, and second chances.

    5. We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

    We solve murders

    In Richard Osman’s We Solve Murders, a retired man and his daughter-in-law become an unlikely detective duo to solve a murder. Full of humour and suspense, and just like Osman’s Thursday Murder Club, the book is a fun escape from the everyday.

    6. Verity by Colleen Hoover

    Verity

    This thriller blurs the lines between truth and fiction as writer Lowen Ashleigh uncovers disturbing secrets in Verity Crawford’s manuscript. Hoover draws us in to a web of deceit, obsession and danger in Verity.

    7. A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

    A court of mist and fury

    The sequel to A Court of Thorns and Roses follows Feyre’s journey of self-discovery in the vibrant Night Court. In A Court of Mist and Fury, Maas gives readers higher stakes, sizzling romance and new alliances.

    8. None Of This Is True by Lisa Jewell

    None of this is true

    In None Of This Is True, a woman’s podcast interview spirals into a chilling web of secrets and obsession. Jewell creates jaw-dropping twists and explores how far people are willing to go to hide the truth.

    9. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman

    The last devil to die

    The Thursday Murder Club face their most personal case yet in The Last Devil to Die when a close friend and antiques dealer is murdered. Osman brings back our favourite amateur sleuths to unravel the mystery in this captivating read.

    10. The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden

    The housemaids secret

    In this sequel, McFadden plunges readers back into the life of a housemaid tasked with caring for a mysterious and reclusive woman. Dark revelations are uncovered that turn characters’ worlds upside down in The Housemaid’s Secret.

    11. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

    Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrowb

    A story of friendship, love and ambition is set against the backdrop of the video game industry in Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow. The book follows Sam and Sadie from their childhood meeting in a hospital waiting room to their adult success in game design, and how their relationship evolves over this time.

    12. A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas

    a court of wings and ruin

    The third book from Maas in Amazon’s top-selling list shows the rise of the Romantasy genre and provides an intense continuation of her character’s journey as she navigates political turmoil, battles in the Fae realm, and difficult choices that will shape the future of her worlds.

    13.The Wrong Sister by Claire Douglas

    the wrong sister

    The Wrong Sister centres around Tasha and Alice, two sisters who seem to have little in common but share a deep bond. When Alice offers to look after Tasha’s children, tragedy strikes, leaving Alice in a critical condition and Tasha’s husband dead. As secrets unravel, a chilling note suggests “It was supposed to be you.”

    14. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

    Amazon-UK-2024-top-ten-books-Inlines-FOURTH-WING

    Fourth Wing transports readers into the dangerous and competitive world of Basgiath War College, where a fragile yet determined young woman must survive brutal training to become a dragon rider.

    15. Atomic Habits by James Clear

    atomic habits

    Reflecting readers’ appetite for self-improvement amidst escapism, Atomic Habits is a groundbreaking guide from Clear on understanding how small, incremental changes can lead to transformative results over time.

    16. The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

    the lost bookshop

    In The Lost Bookshop, three strangers find themselves drawn to a mysterious< disappearing bookshop in Dublin. They soon discover that their own stories are as extraordinary as those hidden in the bookshop shelves, which leads them into a magical world.

    17. Ultra-Processed People by Chris van Tulleken

    ultra processed people

    This book from Chris van Tulleken explores the harmful effects of ultra-processed foods on our health and society. Drawing on science, Ultra-Processed People explains how these foods contribute to obesity, chronic diseases and environmental damage.

    18. Yellowface by Rebecca F Kuang

    yellowface

    Yellowface follows Juniper Song, a struggling writer who steals the unpublished manuscript of her late friend, Athena Liu, a successful author. As Juniper claims the work as her own, the novel delves into issues of cultural appropriation, identity and the ethics of storytelling in the literary world.

    19. Weyward by Emilia Hart

    weyward

    This novel intertwines the stories of three women across centuries. As they navigate oppressive societal norms, each discovers her own strength, revealing a powerful tale of witchcraft and empowerment.

    20. Iron Flame by Rebecca Yarros

    Iron flame

    Iron Flame is a gripping continuation of the Empyrean series from Rebecca Yarros. Protagonist Violet faces even darker trials as she navigates deadly combat and a terrifying secret about her bond with dragons.

    Read More on Aboutamazon.co.uk
    13 Powerful Benefits of Reading

    13 Powerful Benefits of Reading

    by | Oct 31, 2025 | Articles, Books, Emerald Book Club, Reading

    Why you should Read

     

     Reading provides cognitive, emotional, and physical benefits, including improved memory, critical thinking, and vocabulary. It also reduces stress, enhances empathy, and can help delay age-related cognitive decline like dementia. For children, reading builds a foundation for academic success and strengthens bonds with caregivers