biostudies-literatureRoy ENICHD NIH HHSNIBIB NIH HHSNIDA NIH HHSNIMH NIH HHS101341https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10825614biostudies-literatureUnknown65Cross-sectional studies have linked differences in white matter tissue properties to reading skills. However, past studies have reported a range of, sometimes conflicting, results. Some studies suggest that white matter properties act as individual-level traits predictive of reading skill, whereas others suggest that reading skill and white matter develop as a function of an individual's educational experience. In the present study, we tested two hypotheses: a) that diffusion properties of the white matter reflect stable brain characteristics that relate to stable individual differences in reading ability or b) that white matter is a dynamic system, linked with learning over time. To answer these questions, we examined the relationship between white matter and reading in a five-year longitudinal dataset and a series of large-scale, single-observation, cross-sectional datasets (N = 14,249 total participants). We find that gains in reading skill correspond to longitudinal changes in the white matter. However, in the cross-sectional datasets, we find no evidence for the hypothesis that individual differences in white matter predict reading skill. These findings highlight the link between dynamic processes in the white matter and learning.Developmental cognitive neuroscienceWhite matter and literacy: A dynamic system in flux.PMC10825614P50 HD052120U01 DA041117U24 DA041123U24 DA041147U01 DA041174R01 EB027585RF1 MH121868R01 HD095861U01 DA041134U01 DA041156U01 DA041093U01 DA051037U01 DA041106U01 DA041028U01 DA041089U01 DA041022U01 DA041120U01 DA041148U01 DA041048U01 DA041025U01 DA051039U01 DA051016U01 DA051038U01 DA051018U54 MH091657U01 DA050988U01 DA050987U01 DA050989Sugrue LPMcCandliss BDKruper JYeatman JDRokem ARauschecker AMBloom DRichie-Halford ARoy EBrown TTNedelec PJernigan TLNarayan MfalseWhite matter and literacy: A dynamic system in flux.Cross-sectional studies have linked differences in white matter tissue properties to reading skills. However, past studies have reported a range of, sometimes conflicting, results. Some studies suggest that white matter properties act as individual-level traits predictive of reading skill, whereas others suggest that reading skill and white matter develop as a function of an individual's educational experience. In the present study, we tested two hypotheses: a) that diffusion properties of the white matter reflect stable brain characteristics that relate to stable individual differences in reading ability or b) that white matter is a dynamic system, linked with learning over time. To answer these questions, we examined the relationship between white matter and reading in a five-year longitudinal dataset and a series of large-scale, single-observation, cross-sectional datasets (N = 14,249 total participants). We find that gains in reading skill correspond to longitudinal changes in the white matter. However, in the cross-sectional datasets, we find no evidence for the hypothesis that individual differences in white matter predict reading skill. These findings highlight the link between dynamic processes in the white matter and learning.2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Feb2026-05-29T10:01:46.756Z2026-04-08T04:23:29.514ZS-EPMC108256143821970910.1016/j.dcn.2024.101341