Reading is a unique human ability that has become very pivotal for functioning in our world today. As modern societies rely extensively on literacy skills, and as reading disabilities have profound personal, economic and social consequences, it is surprising that we have a very underdeveloped scientific understanding of the neural basis of reading and visual word recognition in the normal brain. A better understanding of normal reading processes could help individuals with developmental dyslexia and other reading disabilities, and also inform our strategies for improving early learning and carrying out effective interventions. Neuroimaging offers a unique window on reading through which we have achieved profound insights into its neural correlates in both health and disease, and has also raised important questions that have generated much scientific debate.
This book addresses some of the fundamental questions in reading research. Piers Cornelissen, Peter Hansen, Morten Kringelbach, and Ken Pugh have brought together some of the leading scientists to provide comprehensive articles that shed light on the neural basis of reading. Its broad-yet-integrative treatment is divided into three parts: 1) behavioural data and modelling (with direct implications for neuroimaging), 2) neuroimaging, and 3) impaired reading. The book will be a useful resource for everyone interested in the reading brain, particularly those in neuroimaging, cognition and attention, sensation and perception, language, development and aging, education, and computational modelling.

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is an exciting brain imaging technology that allows real-time tracking of neural activity, making it an invaluable tool for advancing our understanding of brain function. In this comprehensive introduction to MEG, Peter Hansen, Morten Kringelbach, and Riitta Salmelin have brought together the leading researchers to provide the basic tools for planning and executing MEG experiments, as well as analyzing and interpreting the resulting data. Chapters on the basics describe the fundamentals of MEG and its instrumentation, and provide guidelines for designing experiments and performing successful measurements. Chapters on data analysis present it in detail, from general concepts and assumptions to analysis of evoked responses and oscillatory background activity. Chapters on solutions propose potential solutions to the inverse problem using techniques such as minimum norm estimates, spatial filters and beamformers. Chapters on combinations elucidate how MEG can be used to complement other neuroimaging techniques. Chapters on applications provide practical examples of how to use MEG to study sensory processing and cognitive tasks, and how MEG can be used in a clinical setting. These chapters form a complete basic reference source for those interested in exploring or already using MEG that will hopefully inspire them to try to develop new, exciting approaches to designing and analyzing their own studies. This book will be a valuable resource for researchers from diverse fields, including neuroimaging, cognitive neuroscience, medical imaging, computer modelling, as well as for clinical practitioners.