title: Short- and long-term effects of a novel on connectivity in the brain.
abstract: We sought to determine whether reading a novel causes measurable changes in resting-state connectivity of the brain and how long these changes persist. Incorporating a within-subjects design, participants received resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans on 19 consecutive days. First, baseline resting state data for a "washin" period were taken for each participant for 5 days. For the next 9 days, participants read 1/9th of a novel during the evening and resting-state data were taken the next morning. Finally, resting-state data for a "wash-out" period were taken for 5 days after the conclusion of the novel. On the days after the reading, significant increases in connectivity were centered on hubs in the left angular/supramarginal gyri and right posterior temporal gyri. These hubs corresponded to regions previously associated with perspective taking and story comprehension, and the changes exhibited a timecourse that decayed rapidly after the completion of the novel. Long-term changes in connectivity, which persisted for several days after the reading, were observed in bilateral somatosensory cortex, suggesting a potential mechanism for "embodied semantics."
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Economics, Center for Neuropolicy, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Gregory S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Berns
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blaine
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Prietula
authors.forename: Brandon E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Pye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008093:Literature, Modern; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011932:Reading; D055815:Young Adult