Neuropsychological model of reading based on Japanese experiences

Based on personal experiences of reading impairment following brain damage in Japanese patients a cognitive neurolopsychological model of normal readi ng process is proposed. Essentially reading is realized by combined activit ies of visual, auditory and semantic systems. Each system first processes g eneral patterns or features and gradually zooms in for more derailed featur es. At each level of processing the three systems can freely activate each other. Difference of kanji and kana reading performance often seen in Japan ese patients can easily be explained by the present model. Neuroanatomical correlation of this functional model is also discussed.