Mapping of Chinese brain bold journey for science

Reading, writing in characters versus alphabet may create cognitive oddities

Scientists are mapping Chinese people's brains to get a better understanding of how the influence of the Chinese language affects cognitive performance, as well as to learn more about the mechanisms behind cerebral disorders.

Hospitals and universities in Shanghai and Shenzhen, Guangdong province, are the main participants in the joint study commissioned by the Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence. They will carry out clinical studies into brain development, cognitive learning processes and brain-related diseases, said Zhang Xu, vice-president of the Shanghai branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and executive director of the research center, in a recent interview with China Daily.