Recent evidence suggests the existence of shared neural resources for rhythm processing\nin language and music. Such overlaps could be the basis of the facilitating effect of regular musical\nrhythm on spoken word processing previously reported for typical children and adults, as well as\nadults with Parkinsonâ??s disease and children with developmental language disorders. The present\nstudy builds upon these previous findings by examining whether non-linguistic rhythmic priming also\ninfluences visual word processing, and the extent to which such cross-modal priming effect of rhythm\nis related to individual differences in musical aptitude and reading skills. An electroencephalogram\n(EEG) was recorded while participants listened to a rhythmic tone prime, followed by a visual\ntarget word with a stress pattern that either matched or mismatched the rhythmic structure of the\nauditory prime. Participants were also administered standardized assessments of musical aptitude\nand reading achievement. Event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by target words with a mismatching\nstress pattern showed an increased fronto-central negativity. Additionally, the size of the negative\neffect correlated with individual differences in musical rhythm aptitude and reading comprehension\nskills. Results support the existence of shared neurocognitive resources for linguistic and musical\nrhythm processing, and have important implications for the use of rhythm-based activities for\nreading interventions.
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