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Neural Mechanisms Linking Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) with Reading and Arithmetic in Typically Developing Children: Insights from Intrinsic Functional Connectivity of Thalamus

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Poster E94 in Poster Session E, Thursday, October 26, 10:15 am - 12:00 pm CEST, Espace Vieux-Port
This poster is part of the Sandbox Series.

Ningxin Zhao¹, Xiujie Yang¹, Guosheng Ding¹, Xiangzhi Meng²; ¹Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China, ²Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China

Background. Rapid automatized naming (RAN) refers to the rate of access to phonological information stored in long-term memory. While it is well established that RAN is a common factor influencing both reading and arithmetic skills in children, the neural mechanisms underlying RAN and its associations with academic abilities are not fully understood. Recent studies suggest that intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) may play a role as either a mediating factor, or provide joint support for the RAN-reading/arithmetic association. In this study, we aimed to investigate two potential mediation models: (1) iFC –> RAN –> reading/arithmetic, which suggests that iFC serves as a foundation for cognitive performance, or (2) RAN –> iFC –> reading/arithmetic, highlighting the role of RAN development in brain plasticity and the neural mediating effects. Methods. A total of 34 typically developing children (mean age = 11.82, SD = 1.13, 23 boys) took part in the study. They underwent resting-state MRI scanning, along with behavioral assessments measuring RAN, reading fluency, and arithmetic abilities. Firstly, the correlations between RAN, reading fluency, and arithmetic were calculated after controlling for age and sex. Secondly, to conduct fMRI analysis, we constructed individual functional connectivity maps using Power et al.'s (2011) template. The edges showing stably positive or negative correlations with RAN were selected and averaged at the network level. Finally, the within or between network connectivity was used to test two possible mediation models in reading and arithmetic respectively. Results. After adjusting for age and sex, we observed significant positive correlations between RAN and reading (r = 0.63, p = 0.003), as well as between RAN and arithmetic (r = 0.56, p = 0.011) at the behavioral level. Network analysis revealed that 21 connections were positively correlated with RAN (r = 0.69 and R2 = 0.48), and most of the connections (85.7%, n = 18) included the thalamus. Among these connections, 38.1% (n = 8) were associated with the visual network. In the first mediation model (between/within network connectivity -> RAN -> reading/arithmetic), we identified two network connections that were shared by both reading and arithmetic: the connection between visual regions and the thalamus, and the connectivity within the thalamus. Surprisingly, two connections were specifically related to the RAN-reading relationship: the connection between the dorsal attention network and the thalamus, and the connection between the sensory somatomotor network and the thalamus. In the reverse model (RAN -> between/within network connectivity -> reading/arithmetic), none of the connections reached significance. The additional results supported our expectation that the contribution was not dominated by only one edge. Summary. Our study provides compelling evidence that RAN is a common predictor of both reading and arithmetic abilities at the neural level, underscoring the significance of RAN to reading and arithmetic and the role of thalamus-cortical connection in the association between RAN and academic performances. While the relationship between reading and arithmetic involves multiple levels such as intelligence and executive function, our findings have revealed a fundamental shared factor between the two domains, even during the resting state.

Topic Areas: Language Development/Acquisition, Reading