Magnetic resonance imaging-based structural and functional brain characteristics in children with developmental dyslexia

WU Yinghui; ZHANG Qinfen

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1022

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2026, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (11) : 1279-1283. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1022

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Magnetic resonance imaging-based structural and functional brain characteristics in children with developmental dyslexia

WU Yinghui, ZHANG Qinfen

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Abstract

Developmental dyslexia is a common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder that substantially affects academic performance and social functioning. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a noninvasive neuroimaging technique, has been widely used in recent years to investigate its neural mechanisms and the effects of intervention. This review summarizes recent structural and functional MRI findings in children with developmental dyslexia, with emphasis on gray- and white-matter alterations in reading-related brain regions, resting-state and task-based functional connectivity, and intervention-related neuroplastic changes. Integrating multimodal MRI with artificial intelligence-assisted analysis may facilitate early identification and individualized intervention. However, current studies are limited by inadequate sample representativeness, a lack of methodological standardization, and limited reproducibility. Future research should prioritize multicenter collaboration, longitudinal follow-up, and multimodal integration to facilitate the clinical translation and application of neuroimaging in childhood developmental dyslexia.

Key words

developmental dyslexia / magnetic resonance imaging / neural mechanisms / multimodal imaging / children

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WU Yinghui, ZHANG Qinfen. Magnetic resonance imaging-based structural and functional brain characteristics in children with developmental dyslexia[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2026, 34(11): 1279-1283 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2025-1022

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