Differences in electric brain activity for words and nonwords predict individual differences in reading ability

Understanding the differences in electrophysiology of skilled and poor readers is critical to developing tools to improve reading skill. Here we examined the differences in the ERPs when processing words and nonwords. The sustained posterior negativity (SPCN) was sensitive to differences in word/nonwords processing, but this did not vary with reading skill. However, in the average ERPs of skilled readers, words elicited a larger amplitude relative to nonwords from approximately 300 to 500 ms post-stimulus presentation, with the largest differences over posteriorcentral electrode sites. This difference was not observed in the poor readers, suggesting that poor readers do not differentiate between words and nonwords in this time frame. This difference could potentially be used as an index of reading skill in the future.